Castilian

American  

[ka-stil-yuhn] / kæˈstɪl jən /

noun

Castilians plural

1. the dialect of Spanish spoken in Castile.

2. the official standard form of the Spanish language as spoken in Spain, based on this dialect.

3. a native or inhabitant of Castile.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Castile.

Castilian British  

/ kæˈstɪljən /

noun

1. the Spanish dialect of Castile; the standard form of European Spanish

2. a native or inhabitant of Castile

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adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of Castile, its inhabitants, or the standard form of European Spanish

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Castilians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Castilian

First recorded in 1520–30; Castile + -ian

Example Sentences

The face of Rivera’s painted woman was based on Olympic gold medalist Helen Wills, but the character is inspired by “The Adventures of Esplandián,” a 16th century novel by Castilian author Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 2, 2024

“No one doubts that the language is called Spanish or Castilian. Our constitution says Castilian, and in the Americas they say Castilian or Spanish,” he added.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 26, 2023

The locals, who may not have been literate, likely told their responses to the surveyors, who wrote them down in old Castilian.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 4, 2022

It was a purely dynastic union that gave the duke a claim to the Castilian throne.

From Salon • Jul. 25, 2022

It was like a heavy shaking of talcum powder in the brain hearing all those mothers complimenting each other’s daughters and lisping back in good Castilian to the Sisters of the Merciful Mother.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez