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

Finally, Cypriot entrant Antigoni - who you might recognise as a former Love Island contestant - beckons us onto the dancefloor for three minutes of Mediterranean escapism.

From BBC • May 8, 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

Exxon, the biggest U.S. oil company, has a larger presence in the Persian Gulf, but Chevron, the nation’s second-biggest oil company, also has exposure to the conflict, mainly through natural-gas fields in the eastern Mediterranean.

From MarketWatch • May 2, 2026

Maybe they didn’t want to venture into the Mediterranean.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan