Catalan

American  

[kat-l-an, -uhn, kat-l-an] / ˈkæt lˌæn, -ən, ˌkæt lˈæn /

adjective

1. pertaining to Catalonia, its inhabitants, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Catalonia.

2. a Romance language closely related to Provençal, spoken in Catalonia, Valencia, the Balearic Islands, Andorra, southern France, and western Sardinia.

Catalan British  

/ -lən, ˈkætəˌlæn /

noun

1. a language of Catalonia, quite closely related to Spanish and Provençal, belonging to the Romance group of the Indo-European family

2. a native or inhabitant of Catalonia

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adjective

1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of Catalonia, its inhabitants, or their language

Etymology

Origin of Catalan

1375–1425; late Middle English < Spanish

Example Sentences

An old Catalan independence flag hanging by its entrance flaps in the wind, and the sound of pigs grunting and squealing in the farm buildings can be heard in the distance.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

The tower milestone comes more than 140 years after famed Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi designed the monument that has become a symbol of Spain's second city and a globally renowned tourist attraction.

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

Guardiola was born in Santpedor, in the Catalan region of Spain, and spent time in his homeland as well as Italy, Qatar and Mexico as a player.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Boldúman –a German doughboy with Catalan flair, ridiculous and adorable– is one of Barcelona’s best stories, seldom heard beyond its borders.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2026

I will have lost two hundred fathoms of good Catalan cardel and the hooks and leaders.

From "The Old Man and The Sea" by Ernest Hemingway