Mediterranean

American  

[med-i-tuh-rey-nee-uhn] / ˌmɛd ɪ təˈreɪ ni ən /

noun

1. Mediterranean Sea.

2. a person whose physical characteristics are considered typical of the peoples native to or inhabiting the Mediterranean area.

3. Informal. the, the islands and countries of the Mediterranean Sea collectively.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, situated on or near, or dwelling about the Mediterranean Sea.

2. pertaining to or characteristic of the peoples native to the lands along or near the Mediterranean Sea.

3. surrounded or nearly surrounded by land.

Mediterranean British  

/ ˌmɛdɪtəˈreɪnɪən /

noun

1. short for the Mediterranean Sea

2. a native or inhabitant of a Mediterranean country

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adjective

1. of, relating to, situated or dwelling on or near the Mediterranean Sea

2. denoting a postulated subdivision of the Caucasoid race, characterized by slender build and dark complexion

3. meteorol (of a climate) characterized by hot summers and relatively warm winters when most of the annual rainfall occurs

4. obsolete (often not capital) situated in the middle of a landmass; inland

Other Word Forms

• non-Mediterranean
  noun
• trans-Mediterranean
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Mediterranean

1585–95; < Latin mediterrāne ( us ) midland, inland ( see medium, terra, -an, -eous) + -an

Example Sentences

The property’s main restaurant, Night Hawk, is Mediterranean, with cooking by open fire, a Greek ruins vibe and seating for about 150.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

But in early March, it was redirected to the eastern Mediterranean to defend French interests and allied countries struck by Iran's retaliation for Israeli‑American attacks.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

Alternate proposals would make Donnyland into an economic development zone — a city-state like Monaco on the French Mediterranean that could be semiautonomous.

From Salon • Apr. 30, 2026

The average surface temperature of Europe's seas was also the highest on record, with the Mediterranean Sea particularly badly hit.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

It turns out that it, and especially its Fertile Crescent portion, possessed at least five advantages over other Mediterranean zones.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond