Byzantine

4 ENTRIES FOUND:

1Byz·an·tine

adj
\ˈbi-zən-ˌtēn, ˈbī-, -ˌtīn; bə-ˈzan-ˌ, bī-ˈ\

Definition of BYZANTINE

1
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the ancient city of Byzantium
2
: of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire especially in the fifth and sixth centuries featuring the dome carried on pendentives over a square and incrustation with marble veneering and with colored mosaics on grounds of gold
3
: of or relating to the churches using a traditional Greek rite and subject to Eastern canon law
4
often not capitalized a : of, relating to, or characterized by a devious and usually surreptitious manner of operation <a Byzantine power struggle> b : intricately involved : labyrinthine <rules of Byzantine complexity>

First Known Use of BYZANTINE

1651

Other Archaeology Terms

Attic, Paleolithic, cairn, core, flint, horizon, neolithic, shard, stratum

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: Byzantine speedwell
Previous Word in the Dictionary: Byzantian (adjective)
All Words Near: Byzantine

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up Byzantine? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Test Your Vocabulary

Take Our 10-Question Quiz

Name That Thing

Take our visual vocab quiz

Test Your Knowledge »

True or False?

A quick quiz about stuff worth knowing

Take It Now »

Join Us on FB & Twitter

Get the Word of the Day and More

Facebook | Twitter

Get Our Free Apps

Voice Search, Favorites,
Word of the Day, and More

iPhone | iPad | Android | More