Definitions for byzantineˈbɪz ənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn, ˈbaɪ zən-, bɪˈzæn tɪn

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

Byz•an•tineˈbɪz ənˌtin, -ˌtaɪn, ˈbaɪ zən-, bɪˈzæn tɪn(adj.)

  1. of or pertaining to Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire.

    Category: Western History

  2. of or in the style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire, characterized by masonry construction, round arches, low domes on pendentives, and the extensive use of mosaics.

    Category: Architecture

  3. (sometimes l.c.) extremely complex or intricate. characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue, esp. to obtain political advantage.

    Category: Common Vocabulary

  4. (n.)a native or inhabitant of Byzantium.

    Category: Ancient History

Origin of Byzantine:

1590–1600; < LL Bȳzantīnus of Byzantium ; see -ine1

Princeton's WordNet

  1. Byzantine(adj)

    a native or inhabitant of Byzantium or of the Byzantine Empire

  2. Byzantine(adj)

    of or relating to the Eastern Orthodox Church or the rites performed in it

    "Byzantine monks"; "Byzantine rites"

  3. Byzantine(adj)

    of or relating to or characteristic of the Byzantine Empire or the ancient city of Byzantium

  4. Byzantine, convoluted, involved, knotty, tangled, tortuous(adj)

    highly complex or intricate and occasionally devious

    "the Byzantine tax structure"; "Byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship"; "convoluted legal language"; "convoluted reasoning"; "the plot was too involved"; "a knotty problem"; "got his way by labyrinthine maneuvering"; "Oh, what a tangled web we weave"- Sir Walter Scott; "tortuous legal procedures"; "tortuous negotiations lasting for months"

Wiktionary

  1. Byzantine(Noun)

    A native of Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul)

  2. Byzantine(Noun)

    Belonging to the civilization of the Eastern-Roman empire, between 331 A.D. when the capital was moved to Constantinople (now Istanbul) and up 1453 when it was conquered by the Turks.

  3. Byzantine(Adjective)

    Overly complex or intricate.

  4. Byzantine(Adjective)

    Of or pertaining to Byzantium.

  5. Byzantine(Adjective)

    of a devious, usually stealthy manner, of practice.

  6. Origin: From Late byzantinus itself from Byzantium

Webster Dictionary

  1. Byzantine(noun)

    a gold coin, so called from being coined at Byzantium. See Bezant

  2. Byzantine(adj)

    of or pertaining to Byzantium

  3. Byzantine(noun)

    a native or inhabitant of Byzantium, now Constantinople; sometimes, applied to an inhabitant of the modern city of Constantinople


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