Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • A historical region of western Romania bounded by the Carpathian Mountains. Part of the Roman province of Dacia after AD 107, it was later overrun by Germanic peoples and came under Hungarian rule in 1003. Transylvania passed to various powers over the following centuries and finally became part of modern-day Romania in the early 20th century.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A region in the west of Romania.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a historical plateau region in northwestern Romania that is separated from the rest of the country by the Transylvanian Alps; originally part of Hungary; incorporated into Romania at the end of World War I

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the Latin preposition trans (meaning "across") + silvam, the accusative singular of silva meaning "forest". Meaning "across the forest".

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Examples

  • The Ukranian made me watch Van Helsing because it takes place in Transylvania, which is on the border of Ukraine and Romania.

    G.I. JOE: LEAST SURPRISING CASTING EVER 2007

  • Northern Italian polenta (or Romanian mamaliga, just about the same thing - my grandparents were born in Transylvania, so this is comfort food for me)

    Page 4 2009

  • Northern Italian polenta (or Romanian mamaliga, just about the same thing - my grandparents were born in Transylvania, so this is comfort food for me)

    Page 4 2009

  • Northern Italian polenta (or Romanian mamaliga, just about the same thing - my grandparents were born in Transylvania, so this is comfort food for me)

    Page 4 2009

  • Northern Italian polenta (or Romanian mamaliga, just about the same thing - my grandparents were born in Transylvania, so this is comfort food for me)

    Page 4 2009

  • Five sisters who live with their merchant father in Transylvania use a hidden portal in their home to cross over into a magicalworld, the Wildwood.

    January 2009 2009

  • Northern Italian polenta (or Romanian mamaliga, just about the same thing - my grandparents were born in Transylvania, so this is comfort food for me)

    Page 4 2009

  • Five Reasons Count Dracula was Really an IrishmanWe all know the tale of Count Dracula, written by Bram Stoker and his story of the vampire that sucked the blood from his victims from his castle in Transylvania while he was hunted and eventually slain by Dr. van Helsing.

    My Five Best Bar Drinks | myFiveBest 2009

  • Third, nothing could prepare my friends and I for our semester abroad in Transylvania!

    TWILIGHT VAMPIRES AND OTHER FAMOUS VAMPS GET SPOOFED IN ‘TRANSYLMANIA’ | Open Society Book Club Discussions and Reviews 2009

  • Five Reasons Count Dracula was Really an IrishmanWe all know the tale of Count Dracula, written by Bram Stoker and his story of the vampire that sucked the blood from his victims from his castle in Transylvania while he was hunted and eventually slain by Dr. van Helsing.

    Five People Born on February 12 | myFiveBest 2010

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