Overview
Lombards
Quick Reference
A member of a Germanic people who invaded Italy in the 6th century, and who settled in what became Lombardy. The name of this people comes from Italian lombardo, representing late Latin Langobardus, of Germanic origin, from the base of the adjective long + the ethnic name Bardi. The name Longobard is now also used by modern scholars.
In the Middle Ages, the term Lombard was used for bankers and money-lenders from Lombardy, and from this was applied generally to anyone engaged in banking and money-lending. Lombard Street in the City of London, containing many of the principal London banks, was so named because it was formerly occupied by bankers from Lombardy.
all Lombard Street to a China Orange very long odds against; the expression dates from the early 19th century, although a China orange taken as the type of something worthless is recorded earlier.
