Mediterranean

IPA/mˌɛdɪtɪɹˈeɪniən/
KK[mˌɛdətɚˈeniən]IPA/mˌɛdətərˈeɪniːən/

Mediterranean — noun

1. the stretch of salt water that separates Europe from Africa and reaches eastward

1.nounA2
Definition

the stretch of salt water that separates Europe from Africa and reaches eastward to Asia, connecting to the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar.

Example

Every summer, the Watanabe family sails across the Mediterranean on their boat.

the + proper noun as a place name

The Mediterranean is known for its warm, clear water and sandy beaches.

describing the sea's characteristics

Common collocations
  • the Mediterranean
  • across the Mediterranean
  • on the Mediterranean
  • around the Mediterranean
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + [proper noun]

Usage Note

Always capitalised and usually used with 'the' — 'the Mediterranean' refers specifically to this body of water. Do not confuse with 'the Mediterranean region' (noun sense 2).

Common Mistakes

We swam in Mediterranean.
We swam in the Mediterranean.
the definite article 'the' is almost always required.

2. the countries and lands that border the Mediterranean Sea, considered together a

2.nounB1
Definition

the countries and lands that border the Mediterranean Sea, considered together as one area.

Example

Brooke is planning a trip around the Mediterranean that includes Spain, Greece, and Turkey.

listing countries in the region

Olive trees have been grown all across the Mediterranean for thousands of years.

Common collocations
  • around the Mediterranean
  • across the Mediterranean
  • the whole Mediterranean
  • in the Mediterranean
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

the + [proper noun] for a region

Usage Note

Distinguish from noun sense 1 (the sea body itself). When context mentions countries, farming, or climate, sense 2 is intended. Also distinct from the adjective, which directly modifies a noun.

Common Mistakes

Ibiza is in Mediterranean.
Ibiza is in the Mediterranean.
the definite article is needed for both the sea and the region sense.

Mediterranean — adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

While 'Mediterranean' as an adjective refers specifically to the geographic region around the Mediterranean Sea — covering parts of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East — 'southern European' is narrower, applying only to countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece. 'European' is broader and does not carry the climate or cultural associations of the Mediterranean zone. 'Tropical' is often mistakenly used by learners for warm climates, but tropical regions are near the equator (e.g. Southeast Asia, the Caribbean), whereas the Mediterranean has a distinct dry-summer climate. For example, a learner might say 'tropical weather' for a Greek summer, but 'Mediterranean weather' or 'Mediterranean climate' is the accurate term.

Mediterranean ↗southern EuropeanEuropean ↗tropical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • the Mediterranean Sea
  • the Mediterranean region
  • Mediterranean diet

Prepositions

  • around the Mediterranean
  • across the Mediterranean
  • in the Mediterranean
  • on the Mediterranean

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'mediterraneus' meaning 'in the middle of land' — from 'medius' (middle) and 'terra' (land). The Romans used 'Mare Mediterraneum' ('the sea in the middle of the land') because it is almost entirely surrounded by Europe, Africa, and Asia. English borrowed the term via French in the late 1500s.