Oscan

1. A member of an ancient people of Campania.
2. The Italic language of the Oscans.

Oscan, Oscans.The Oscans (Gk. Opikoi) were an early Italic people of southern Italy who established themselves principally in Campania. When Sabelli replaced them in Campania and elsewhere their name survived and in due course was used to describe the newcomers' very similar language: Samnites, Frentani, Campanians, Lucanians, Bruttians, Mamertines, and Apulians all spoke Oscan-type languages. Oscan and Umbrian form one group of Italic languages, Latin and Faliscan the other (see LATIN LANGUAGE). After the Social War of 90–88 BC Oscan was gradually replaced by Latin, but it was still being spoken at Pompeii in AD 79. The Atellan farces were in origin an Oscan literary form.

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: an Oscan-speaking member of an ancient people of Campania

Meaning #2: an extinct Italic language of ancient southern Italy