Alsace

//ælˈseɪs// name

name ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A cultural region, former administrative region, and historical province of France, located on the west bank of the upper Rhine; since 2016, part of the administrative region of Grand Est. It has changed hands between France and Germany several times throughout history.

Example

More examples

"Ah, Alsace! It is usually known for the beauty of its half-timbered houses, its renowned gastronomy and its famous Christmas markets. However, it is also a cultural crossroads in the heart of Europe. It links France, Switzerland and Germany through an incredible diversity of landscapes where, flanked by mountains and the banks of the Rhine, open-air activities abound."

Etymology

From Medieval Latin Alsatia, from Old High German ali sazzo (“inhabitant of the other”) (referring to the opposite bank of the Rhine), from Proto-West Germanic *alljas (“other”) + *sittjan (“to inhabit”, literally “to sit”).

Related phrases

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.