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levantino

Levantine

adjective leh-bahn-TEE-noh Rare
Travel & Places Geography

Origin: From Levante (the East, where the sun rises), ultimately from Latin levare (to raise).

Also means

eastern Spanish

Usage Note

Levantino refers to the Levante region of Spain — Valencia, Murcia, and surrounding areas — and to the people, culture, and dialect associated with it. In a broader historical sense it also refers to the eastern Mediterranean Levant (Lebanon, Syria, etc.). In Spanish regional politics the term carries a strong local identity marker; referring to the Valencian variety of food, festivals, or architecture as levantino is both precise and complimentary.

Examples

"La paella es un plato típicamente levantino."

Natural Translation

Paella is a typically Levantine dish.

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