Alpine (adj.)

"high, snow-capped mountain," especially in Switzerland, 1590s, from Alps, from French Alpes, from Latin Alpes "the Alps," which is perhaps from altus "high," or albus "white" or from a Celtic word (according to Maurus Servius Honoratus the grammarian), or a borrowing from a non-Indo-European language. Alps, the central European mountain range, is attested by that name in English from late 14c.

"south of the Alps," 1540s, from Latin cisalpinus "on this side of the Alps" (from the Roman point of view), from cis- "on this side" (see cis-) + Alpinus "Alpine" (see Alpine). Compare ultramontane.