Carolingian

//ˌkæ.ɹəˈlɪn.dʒɪ.ən// adj, noun

adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A member of the Carolingian dynasty.

    "A certaine Chronicler writ a pretty while agoe, that this King ſhould come of the houſe of France, and the race of Charlemaigne, according to that which was prophecied of him; Some ſay (ſaith he) that there is another common prophecy, that ſome of the Carolingians, that is of the race of King Charles, and bloud royall, ſhall have an Emperour of France, by name Charles, who ſhall bee Prince and Monarch over Europe, and ſhall reforme the Church and State."

  2. 2
    a member of the Carolingian dynasty wordnet
Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to the Carolings, the members of a Frankish dynasty, descended from Charles Martel, which arose from the Pippinid and Arnulfingian clans in the 7th century and ruled parts of western Europe until the 9th century, reaching its peak under Martel's grandson Charlemagne. not-comparable

    "And thus the Empire was transferred from the Carolingian Family to the Saxons."

  2. 2
    Being or relating to a style of minuscule script. not-comparable
Adjective
  1. 1
    of or relating to the Frankish dynasty founded by Charlemagne's father wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
carlingcarlovingiancarlovingiancarolingcaroliniankarling

Example

More examples

"In accordance with the Treaty of Verdun, in 1843 the Carolingian Empire was divided between Charlemagne's three grandchildren."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵerh₂-der. Proto-Germanic *karaz Proto-Germanic *karilaz Proto-West Germanic *karil Proto-Indo-European *-n̥kʷo-der.? Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Germanic *-īnaz Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Germanic *-gaz ? Proto-Germanic *-ingaz Proto-West Germanic *-ing Medieval Latin Carolingī Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Latin -nus Latin -ānus Latin -iānusbor. English -ian English Carolingian From Medieval Latin Carolingī (“Carolings (descendants of Charles Martel)”) [plural of Carolingus, from a Frankish patronymic ultimately composed of Proto-West Germanic *karil + *-ing] + -ian. Reshaping of earlier Carlovingian, from Middle French Carlovingien, itself a misconstruction of Carlingien. By surface analysis, Caroling + -ian.

Related phrases

Carolingian crossCarolingian minuscule

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