Esperanto is an invented language which consists of parts of several European languages, andwhich was designed to help people from different countries communicate with each other.
Esperanto in British English
(ˌɛspəˈræntəʊ)
noun
an international artificial language based on words common to the chief European languages, invented in 1887
Derived forms
Esperantist (ˌEspeˈrantist)
noun, adjective
Word origin
C19: literally: the one who hopes, pseudonym of Dr. L. L. Zamenhof, who invented it
Esperanto in American English
(ˌɛspəˈrɑntoʊ; ˌɛspəˈræntoʊ)
noun
an invented language, devised (1887) by Pol. physician L. L. Zamenhof (1859-1917), and proposed for use as an international (chiefly European) auxiliary language: it uses word bases common to the main European languages, and it has self-evident parts of speech (all nouns end in -o, all adjectives in -a, etc.), a single and regular conjugation of verbs, a few simplified inflections, etc.
Word origin
after pseud. of the inventor, lit. (in Esperanto), one who hopes < prp. of esperi, to hope < Romance forms (Fr espérer, Sp esperar, etc.) < L sperare, to hope