Leónese

Leónese is a term that can refer to two related things associated with León, a historic region in northwestern Spain. First, as a demonym, Leonese (Leónese in English) denotes people from León. In Spanish, residents are called leoneses (masc.) and leonesas (fem.). The term reflects León's role in the medieval Kingdom of León and the modern autonomous community of Castile and León.

Second, Leónese also refers to the Leonese language (Llionés), a Romance language historically spoken in the territory of the former Kingdom of León. It belongs to the Astur-Leonese branch of the Western Iberian languages, and is related to Asturian. Today, Leonese is spoken by a minority, mainly in rural areas of the León region, with ongoing revival and standardization efforts by linguistic associations, local authorities, and cultural groups. There are multiple orthographies and dialectal varieties, and efforts to develop educational materials, media, and local resources have increased in some areas, though the language remains far from widespread everyday use.

The status of Leonese varies by locality and policy; it is often protected as part of regional linguistic heritage, but it is not an official language of Spain at the national level. The Leonese language and culture contribute to the broader cultural mosaic of Castile and León and the wider Iberian Peninsula.