"pertaining to Catalonia," also as a noun, "person from Catalonia," late 15c., from the indigenous name, which is said to be of Celtic origin and probably mean "chiefs of battle." But as the name is not attested before 11c., it perhaps is a Medieval Latin form of *Gothlandia "land of the Goths." As a noun meaning "a Catalan," Middle English used Cateloner (mid-14c.), Catellain (early 15c., from French). As a language name in English by 1792.
