Iberian

1 of 4

adjective (1)

Ibe·​ri·​an ī-ˈbir-ē-ən How to pronounce Iberian (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to the peoples anciently inhabiting parts of the peninsula comprising Spain and Portugal or to their languages
The people known to scholars as Iberians seem to have been located primarily along the east coast of Spain … . Hundreds of Iberian inscriptions have been found throughout this entire region, showing the presence of a common language.Justin St. P. Walsh
b
: of or relating to ancient Iberia (see Iberia sense 1)
… we prefer a short detour to the south of the paved highway to the village of Tricio, built over the ruins of an ancient Iberian city.David M. Gitlitz and Linda Kay Davidson
2
: of or relating to Spain, Portugal, or the Basque region or to their inhabitants
modern Iberian cuisine
IBS affects up to 7.8% of the total Iberian population (Spain, Portugal and Andorra) …PR Newswire Europe (London)
see also iberian peninsula

Iberian

2 of 4

noun (1)

1
a
: a member of one or more peoples anciently inhabiting parts of the peninsula comprising Spain and Portugal
b
: a native or inhabitant of Spain or Portugal or the Basque region
2
: one or more of the languages of the ancient Iberians

Iberian

3 of 4

adjective (2)

: of or relating to the Caucasus of Asia between the Black and Caspian seas or to its inhabitants
From the Iberian Caucasus, the most lofty and craggy mountains of Asia …Edward Gibbon

Iberian

4 of 4

noun (2)

: a member of one or more peoples anciently inhabiting the Caucasus in Asia between the Black and Caspian seas

Examples of Iberian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Castell Beach, one of the most beautiful on the Costa Brava, is located in Palamós near the remains of an ancient Iberian village dating to the 6th century B.C.E. Where to Stay: The new Zel Costa Brava features 214 guest rooms, a pool, tennis, on-site dining, and Mediterranean views. Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2024 McCandless travels twice a year to Spain to help with menu development, and the staff participates in weekly wine tastings to test out new products from the Iberian peninsula. Lily O'Neill, The Denver Post, 18 Apr. 2024 Working in his laboratory at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, Emslie measured mercury values in human remains from 23 Iberian sites used between about 6,300 and 1,600 years ago and published their findings in a series of studies between 2015 and 2022. Bridget Alex, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2024 Some establishments, like the Iberian restaurant Lita in Aberdeen Township, New Jersey, respond to industry challenges by reimagining their labor practices. Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 In 1542, Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, an Iberian soldier, led the first European expedition along the coast of present-day California with the goal of claiming the land for Spain. Jerry Rice, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 But as Romanticism swept the Iberian peninsula in the 19th century, neo-Moorish splendor became all the rage. Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Dec. 2023 For the past 20 years, the Iberian nation has also permitted single-estate wines of high quality to be labeled with the special vino de pago (V.P.) designation, which indicates an exclusive area limited to the confines of a wine estate. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 19 Feb. 2024 There are three types of lynxes other than the bobcat: the Canadian lynx, the Iberian lynx and the Eurasian lynx. The Arizona Republic, 25 Jan. 2024
Noun
However, there have been recent reports of orcas attacking boats off the Iberian Peninsula. Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 19 Apr. 2024 The movie takes place in the fictional Kingdom of Rosas, located in the Mediterranean Sea off the Iberian Peninsula, according to IMDB. Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 4 Apr. 2024 Jesús López, chairman/CEO of Universal Music Latin America and Iberian Peninsula, has received a special honor from the King and Queen of Spain. Griselda Flores, Billboard, 3 Apr. 2024 Their sounds pull from the rich heritage of flamenco, a musical genre born of Gitanos (Romani people) arriving in the Iberian Peninsula. Sophie Yun Mancini, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Mar. 2024 The small plates range from meats – Iberian ham (jamón), cured pork loin (lomo) and spicy Basque chorizo (chistorra) wrapped in potato – to a local Idiázabal cheese with black truffle, creamy chicken croquettes (croquetas) and a traditional Spanish potato omelette (tortilla). Jack Bantock, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024 Portugal is having a major moment in the (Iberian) sun. Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2024 Based on the astrolabe’s engravings, Gigante—an expert on Islamic scientific instruments—concluded that it was likely made in the Iberian Peninsula’s Andalusian region in the 11th century. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 By Sallie Tisdale Orcas sank another yacht near the Iberian Peninsula in November. Sallie Tisdale, The Atlantic, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Iberian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Iberia, peninsula in Europe

Noun (2)

Iberia, ancient region of the Caucasus

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

circa 1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

1671, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Iberian was in 1601

Dictionary Entries Near Iberian

Cite this Entry

“Iberian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Iberian. Accessed 27 Apr. 2024.

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