Byzantine
/ˈbɪzəntiːn/
adjective
Origin
Ancient Greek
Βυζάντιον — Byzantium (the ancient city, later Constantinople)
Overview
Meaning Now
- Relating to the Byzantine Empire, its culture, or its architecture.
- Excessively complicated, bureaucratic, or labyrinthine.
Literal older meaning
pertaining to Byzantium
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
Byzantinus
Earliest period
15th century
Journey
The term was coined by scholars post-1453 to distinguish the medieval Greek empire from the classical Roman Empire. The negative figurative sense evolved in the 20th century, particularly in political science, to describe dense and opaque bureaucratic systems.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
Βυζάντιον
“The city of Byzantion”
Name traditionally attributed to Byzas of Megara.
- Latin
Byzantinus
“Of or belonging to Byzantium”
Used in late antiquity to describe inhabitants of the city.
- Middle French
Byzantin
“Byzantine”
- Modern English
Byzantine
“Relating to the Empire; later figurative for complex”
Figurative sense derived from the perceived complex intrigues of the imperial court.
Connections
Word parts
Byzant-
root
Byzantium
-ine
suffix
pertaining to
Related across languages
French
byzantin
Byzantine
German
byzantinisch
Byzantine
Explore next
Related to Byzantine
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.