Bohemia

Definition

A community of bohemians, unconventional artists or writers.

Etymology

Latinized translation of French Bohême, from Late Latin Boiohaemum, compound of Boio- (“the Boii”), the Celtic tribe previously inhabiting the area and Germanic *haimaz (“home”) (more at home). The endonym is from Proto-Celtic *boyos and could ultimately be from Proto-Indo-European *gʷṓws (“cattle”) (compare Proto-Celtic *bāus (“cattle”), genitive *bowos), a reference to cattle owners, or from *bʰeyh₂- (“to hit”), i.e. “warrior, strong hitter” (compare Proto-Celtic *binati (“to strike, hit”)). Bohemia was abandoned by the Boii c. 60 BCE and settled by the Germanic Marcomanni shortly thereafter. Related to Bavaria.

Example Sentences

• "There was about him a certain bar-room grandiloquence that fitted easily with the shabby Bohemia of Cripps's studio, but which the curate, unused to the literary vocabulary, found exceedingly impressive."