a. [In quot. c. 1400 a. OF. transmontane adj. and sb., altered form of tramontane, pole-star, north pole, also transmontanie north wind (Godef.); in later use ad. L. transmontānus: see TRAMONTANE.]
1. Dwelling or situated beyond, or on the other side of, the mountains; = TRAMONTANE A. 1. a. From the Italian point of view: North of the Alps.
1727. Bailey, vol. II., Transmontane, dwelling or growing beyond the Mountains.
1826. K. Digby, Broadst. Hon., II. Tancredus (1846), II. 20. The Britons, English, and other transmontane people.
1857. Frasers Mag., LVI. 503. The proud citizens of Rome witnessed with indignation the influx of a crowd of transmontane artists.
1880. J. Nichol, Byron, viii. 139. To abandon their transmontane plans, and agree to take up their head-quarters at Pisa.
b. In reference to other mountains, e.g., the Grampians in Scotland, the Rocky Mountains in N. America, the Blue Mountains in N. S. Wales. Also of traffic, across or over the mountains.
1809. U. S. Gaz., 8 May, 2/3. Our state legislature will, either whole or in part, throughout this transmontane country, be represented by federal men, a few counties only exceptedsuch is our prosperity.
1884. Science, 22 Feb., 220/1. Keeping back the migration in order to monopolize this transmontane commerce.
1890. R. Boldrewood, Col. Reformer (1891), 124. The transmontane towns.
1897. D. L. Leonard, in Home Missionary (N. Y.), Jan., 450. Just now [18426] it was that the entire transmontane region was added to the Union.
1900. W. Watt, Aberdeen & Banff, i. 4. The northern or transmontane Picts.
† 2. Transmontane star, also absol. transmontane, the north pole-star; = TRAMONTANE B. 1. Obs.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xvii. 180. In þat lond, ne in many othere beȝonde þat, noman may see the sterre transmontane, þat wee clepen the lode-sterre. Ibid. The sterre þat is clept the transmontayne. Ibid., 181. Aȝen þat transmontayne is the toþer sterre, þat is clept Antartyke.
Hence † Transmontanian a. Obs. rare1, of or pertaining to the non-Italian section of the Roman Church: cf. TRANSALPINE 1 c.
1624. T. Scott, Aphorisms of State, 8. Carion, Auentine, Cuspinianus, and other Transmontanian Writings.