As an adjective, Mediterranean refers to the sea surrounded by Europe, Africa, and Asia, or to the countries and cultures around it. As a noun, it can mean the Mediterranean Sea itself or the region.
From Latin “mediterraneus” meaning 'in the middle of land', from “medius” 'middle' and “terra” 'land, earth'. Romans used it to describe a sea almost entirely enclosed by land. The term later became a proper name for that specific region.
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