descriptive of a dress or skirt flared in shape of a capital letter "A," 1955, in reference to the creations of French fashion designer Christian Dior (1905-1957).

Spanish capital, of unknown origin; first attested 932 as Majerit. Adjectival form is Madrilenian. Noun meaning "person or thing from Madrid" is Madrileño, Madrileña.

Swiss capital, probably originally from PIE *ber- "marshy place," but by folk etymology from German Bär "bear" (compare Berlin). Related: Bernese.

c. 1400, from Latin ficus "fig, fig tree" (see fig). With capital letter, as the name of a large genus of trees and shrubs, chosen by Linnaeus (1753).

"pertaining to Sparta," 1709, from Latin Lacedaemonius, from Greek Lakedaimonios, from Lakedaimon, an ancient Greek name for Sparta as the capital of Lakonia (see laconic). From 1713 as a noun.

capital of Ireland, literally "black pool," from Irish dubh "black" + linn "pool." In reference to the dark waters of the River Liffey. Related: Dubliner.

1680s, "republican principles; a republican form of government," from republican (adj.) + -ism. With capital R-, in reference to the modern U.S. Republican Party by 1856.

capital of Colombia, founded 1530s, the name is from Chibcha (an indigenous language) Bacata, native name of a settlement of the Muisca people that stood there when the Spanish arrived.

"stuttering, stammering," 1640s, from Latin balbutientem (nominative balbutiens), present participle of balbutire "to stammer," from balbus, from a PIE imitative root indicating meaningless stammering (compare Sanskrit balbala-karoti "stammers," Greek bambalyzein "to have chattering teeth," Lithuanian balbasyti, "to chatter," Serbo-Croatian blabositi, Czech beblati "to stammer").

1829 (n.), "member of a Slavic race living mostly in the Carpathians, north of Hungary and east of Moravia; 1887 as an adjective, from French Slovak, from the people's own self-designation(compare Slovak and Czech Slovak, plural Slovaci; Polish Słowak; Russian Slovak; German Slowake). Related: Slovakian; Slovakish.