Milanese

/ˌmɪləˈniːz/ adjective

Definition

Relating to Milan, Italy, or its people, style, and culture. Milanese fashion is known for being elegant and sophisticated.

Etymology

From Milan (Italian Milano) + the English suffix -ese, meaning 'of or pertaining to.' The city name Milan comes from Latin Mediolanum, possibly meaning 'middle of the plain.' The -ese suffix was borrowed from French and Italian to denote origin or style.

Kelly Says

Milan became the fashion capital partly because of its history as a wealthy medieval city-state; when the Milanese suffix -ese gets applied to things, it instantly signals luxury and refined taste. It's fascinating how one city's reputation can make its name synonymous with style—we say 'Milanese elegance' not 'German elegance' because of where the fashion industry decided to concentrate!

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