Ptolemaic
adjective
Ptol·e·ma·ic
ˌtä-lə-ˈmā-ik 
1
: of or relating to the second century geographer and astronomer Ptolemy of Alexandria and especially to his belief that the earth is at the center of the universe with the sun, moon, and planets revolving around it
the Ptolemaic system
2
: of or relating to the Greco-Egyptian Ptolemies ruling Egypt from 323 to 30 b.c.
Examples of Ptolemaic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The relics came from a site that may have been an extension of Canopus, an ancient city that existed during the Ptolemaic dynasty as well as the Roman Empire, news outlet Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.
—
Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Archaeologists in Egypt are unraveling the secrets of an ancient military site used during the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman era.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
After scanning the Bashiri Mummy, researchers determined that this was the mummy of an adult man who stood about 5.5 feet tall and lived during the Ptolemaic Era, which lasted from 305 B.C.E to 30 B.C.E., making this mummy around 2,300 years old.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
The area is rich with sites from the New Kingdom, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Feb. 2025
Among them were amulets and a sculpture of a king from the Ptolemaic dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.
—James Barron, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
The tombs that the team identified recently date specifically to the Ptolemaic period.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
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Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Archaeologists in Egypt are unraveling the secrets of an ancient military site used during the Ptolemaic dynasty and the Roman era.
—Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2025
After scanning the Bashiri Mummy, researchers determined that this was the mummy of an adult man who stood about 5.5 feet tall and lived during the Ptolemaic Era, which lasted from 305 B.C.E to 30 B.C.E., making this mummy around 2,300 years old.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 24 Mar. 2025
The area is rich with sites from the New Kingdom, Ptolemaic, and Roman periods.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 21 Feb. 2025
Among them were amulets and a sculpture of a king from the Ptolemaic dynasty more than 2,000 years ago.
—James Barron, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025
The tombs that the team identified recently date specifically to the Ptolemaic period.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ptolemaic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Ptolemaic. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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