See Also: tramontane(dictionary)

tramontane (iou)



tramontane adjective & noun. . ME.
[Italian tramontana north wind, polestar, tramontani dwellers beyond the mountains, from Latin transmontanus, formed as TRANS- + mont-, mons MOUNT noun1: see -ANE.]
A. noun.
The polestar (orig. so called because visible beyond the Alps from Italy); fig. a guiding star. ME-M17.
A person living or originating from beyond the mountains, esp. the Alps as seen from Italy; (esp. from the Italian point of view) a stranger, a foreigner, a barbarian. L16.
In the Mediterranean and esp. in Italy, the north wind (as coming from beyond the Alps). More widely, a cold wind from across a mountain range. E17.
b. adjective.
Living, situated, or originating from beyond the mountains, esp. the Alps as seen from Italy. Also (esp. from the Italian point of view), foreign; barbarous. L16.
Of wind: coming across or from beyond the mountains (esp. the Alps). E18.