lombard

IPA/lˈɒmbɑːd/
KK[lˈɑmbɑrd]IPA/lˈɑːmbɑːrd/

lombard — noun

1. Peter Lombard (c. 1096–1160), a medieval Italian theologian and bishop whose boo

1.nounC2
Definition

Peter Lombard (c. 1096–1160), a medieval Italian theologian and bishop whose book 'The Four Books of Sentences' became the standard theology textbook in European universities for centuries.

Example

Stefan read a chapter of Peter Lombard's 'Sentences' for his medieval philosophy class.

proper noun referring to the theologian

Nia struggled to follow Peter Lombard's arguments about the Trinity during her theology seminar.

Usage Note

This sense refers specifically to the theologian. It is not a description of a group or place.

2. a village in DuPage County, northeastern Illinois, United States, about 40 km we

2.nounC2
Definition

a village in DuPage County, northeastern Illinois, United States, about 40 km west of Chicago.

Example

The Watanabe family moved to Lombard because the local schools had a strong reputation.

proper noun — village name

Yara took the train from Chicago to Lombard to visit a friend near the village centre.

lombard — noun

1. one of the Langobards, a Germanic tribe that arrived in Italy in the sixth centu

1.nounC2
Definition

one of the Langobards, a Germanic tribe that arrived in Italy in the sixth century and controlled much of the northern part of the country for several hundred years; the region later called Lombardy took its name from them.

Example

Diego wrote about how the Lombards settled in northern Italy after crossing the Alps.

Lombards + settled in northern Italy

The Lombard king Alboin led his people across the Alps in the sixth century.

Common collocations
  • Lombard kingdom
  • Lombard invasion
  • Lombard warrior
  • Lombard law
Synonyms
  • Langobard

    the original Latin name from which 'Lombard' is derived; used mainly in scholarly writing

Usage Note

When referring to the historical tribe, 'Lombard' is used as both a countable noun ('the Lombards') and an attributive adjective ('Lombard kingdom'). The singular refers to one individual of that people.

Common Mistakes

The Lombards were a Celtic tribe.
The Lombards were a Germanic tribe.
Celtic and Germanic are separate language-and-culture groups.

2. a person who was born in or lives in Lombardy, a region in northern Italy that i

2.nounC2
Definition

a person who was born in or lives in Lombardy, a region in northern Italy that includes the city of Milan.

Example

Marco is a Lombard from Bergamo, and he speaks with a distinct northern Italian accent.

Lombard = person from Lombardy

Some Lombards in the Alpine valleys still speak a regional language called Lombard.

Common collocations
  • northern Lombard
  • Lombard tradition
  • Lombard dialect

Usage Note

This sense is distinct from sense 3: a modern inhabitant of Lombardy is not directly descended from the medieval Germanic tribe, though the region's name comes from it.

3. in medieval and Renaissance Europe, a person whose job was lending money, exchan

3.nounC2
Definition

in medieval and Renaissance Europe, a person whose job was lending money, exchanging currency, or managing financial accounts — a term used especially for Italian bankers who worked across the continent.

Example

Kenji learned that 'Lombard' once meant an Italian moneylender working near London's Lombard Street.

Lombard = moneylender; Lombard Street in London

A Lombard in Paris could charge interest on loans even when local rules banned it.

Common collocations
  • Lombard Street
  • wealthy Lombard
  • Lombard banker
  • Lombard loan
Synonyms
  • moneylender

    a more general term that does not imply Italian origin

  • banker

    a broader modern term; 'Lombard' is more specific to medieval Italian financiers

Usage Note

This sense is historical only. 'Lombard' is not used to mean 'banker' in modern English except in historical contexts or the street name 'Lombard Street' in London.

Word family

  • Lombardy
    noun (place name)B2
  • Lombardic
    adjectiveC2
  • Langobard
    nounC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/3

'Lombard' (or 'Langobard' in scholarly writing) refers specifically to the Germanic tribe that invaded Italy in 568 AD and established a kingdom in the Po Valley. 'Goth' refers to two separate Germanic groups (Visigoths and Ostrogoths) that also invaded Roman territory but at different times — the Ostrogoths ruled Italy in the late 5th century before the Lombards arrived. 'Vandal' refers to a Germanic tribe that sacked Rome in 455 AD and established a kingdom in North Africa; unlike the Lombards, they did not settle in Italy long-term. In modern usage, 'Lombard' also describes inhabitants of Lombardy and, historically, Italian bankers, while 'Goth' is associated with a medieval architectural style and 'vandal' has become a common noun meaning someone who destroys property. So while all four terms name early medieval Germanic peoples, each applies to a different tribe with a distinct geographic and historical trajectory.

Lombard ↗LangobardGoth ↗Vandal ↗

Etymology

GermanicLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'Lombard' comes from Latin 'Langobardus', the name of a Germanic tribe. 'Langobardus' is thought to combine 'lang' (long) and 'bard' (beard) — 'long-beards' — possibly referring to the distinctive beards worn by the men of the tribe. The tribe's name shifted to 'Lombard' in later Latin and Old French. As the Lombards settled in northern Italy, the region they dominated became known as Lombardy. The financial sense arose because Lombard merchants and bankers from northern Italy were among the most prominent moneylenders in medieval European cities, and 'Lombard Street' in London became a hub for banking.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a