What does lingua mean?
Lingua is a formal, learned noun meaning “language” or “tongue,” especially a language used to communicate across linguistic boundaries. Its most familiar modern appearance is in lingua franca, where it denotes a shared language adopted by speakers who have different native tongues; the phrase originally referred to the language of the Franks. By itself, lingua has an academic or literary tone and is less common than language, while its anatomical sense is also used chiefly in specialist or Latinate contexts. The word comes directly from Latin lingua, “tongue, language,” and links English with a wide family including language, linguist, linguistic, bilingual, and multilingual. Learning lingua therefore reveals both the breadth of Latin’s influence on English vocabulary and the way a familiar everyday idea can acquire a more cosmopolitan meaning through a fixed phrase. It is especially useful when discussing communication among multilingual communities.
nounA language or dialect, especially a shared language used for communication between speakers of different native languages. In formal or anatomical usage, it can also refer to the tongue.
- A language, especially a shared language used for communication between people with different native languages.
- The tongue, particularly in anatomical or otherwise Latinate usage.
"Latin was long the lingua franca of European scholarship."
"French served as a lingua franca among the delegates."
"The physician asked whether any swelling of the patient's lingua affected his speech."
The plural linguae is used in formal Latinate writing and can sometimes be confused in form with a Latin genitive singular.
"The two linguae were so different that the envoy needed an interpreter."
Latin's lingua means both “tongue” and “language”—one root quietly connects your mouth to the world.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lingua come from?
English borrowed lingua directly from Latin, where the noun meant “tongue” or “language.” The Latin word also underlies English terms such as language, linguist, bilingual, and multilingual. The familiar expression lingua franca is partly Latin: franca is the feminine form of frankus, meaning “free” or “Frankish,” and originally denoted a shared language associated with the Franks.
Related word forms
How lingua is actually used
As a standalone noun, lingua is uncommon and has a literary, academic, or archaizing tone. Its anatomical sense is chiefly encountered in specialist or highly Latinate contexts.
Easily confused with lingua
Lingua means language or tongue, whereas linguine is a long, flat ribbon-shaped pasta.
Lingua is a noun naming a language or tongue, whereas lingual is an adjective meaning relating to the tongue or language.