Welshland

English

Etymology

From Welsh +‎ land. Compare Old English wēalland (“foreign country, Normandy”). Cognate with German Wälschland (“Italy”, literally “foreign-land”), German Welschland (“French-speaking Switzerland”).

Proper noun

Welshland

1. (dated) The land of foreigners; a foreign land, originally applied to Celtic lands, but later extended to include Roman and Romance-speaking areas.
   • 1902, John Fiske, The Historical Writings of John Fiske:

     For a century after Hengist and Horsa the green island which they were conquering was a "Welshland," or abode of strangers, while the "Dutchland," or home of "the folks," was the half-sunken coast they had left behind them.

2. (rare) The land of the Welsh; Wales.
   • 1905, The Gentleman's magazine:

     It is now practically established that the legend emanated from the Kymri, spreading from "Welshland" through Cornwall into the Welsh-speaking colony of Brittany upon the opposite shore.

   • 1996, Wace, Eugene Mason, Layamon, Arthurian chronicles:

     But I have opposed them, and think to withsay, for I have been steward of all Britain's land, and earl I am potent, unlike to my companions, and I have Welshland half-part in my hand; more I have alone than the others all clean.

   • 2005, Curt Bissonette, Noble Stone:

     Welshland: Now called Wales, Welshland lay just west of Mercia and was made up of Celts that held many different lands, which included place names like Gwent and Gwynedd.

3. (rare, historical, usually following German terminology) Italy.
   • 1818, Royal Irish Academy, The Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy:

     And this denomination, originating from this part, was afterward transferred to the whole of Italy, which was called Welshland, and its inhabitants Welshers.

   • 1873, Lewis Gidley, Stonehenge:

     He says that in his time Lombardy, or Gallia Cisalpina, was called by the Germans Welshland, and hence, by the vulgar, Italy was called Welshland, and the Italians Welshers.

Anagrams

• handwells