Olympian
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /əˈlɪm.pɪ.ən/
ipa: /əˈlɪm.pi.ən/
Etymology: From Late Latin Olympianus (“Olympic”) + English -an (suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘of or pertaining to’, or forming agent nouns). Olympianus is derived from Latin Olympia (“town in Elis, Greece, where the ancient Olympic Games were held”) + -ānus (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’); and Olympia is from Ancient Greek Ὀλυμπῐ́ᾱ (Olumpĭ́ā, “Olympia”), from Ὀλῠ́μπῐος (Olŭ́mpĭos, “of or pertaining to Mount Olympus; living on Mount Olympus, Olympian; (specifically) Zeus”) or Ὄλῠμπος (Ólŭmpos, “Mount Olympus”) (see further at etymology 1) + -ῐ́ᾱ (-ĭ́ā, suffix forming feminine abstract nouns).
As regards noun sense 1 (“inhabitant of the city of Olympia, Washington, United States”), the city was named after the Olympic Mountains which are visible to the northwest, which in turn were named after Mount Olympus in Greece.
Senses: glosses: Of or relating to the town of Olympia in Elis, Greece; Olympic.
examples: text: For he [Alexander the Great] was not (as his father Philip [II of Macedon]) deſirous of all kind of glorie: who like a Rhetoritian had a delight to vtter his eloquence, and ſtamped in his coines, the victories he had wonne at the Olympian games, by the ſwift running of his horſe and coaches. For when he was asked one day (becauſe he was ſwift of foot) whether he would aſſay to run for victorie at the Olympian games: I could be content, ſaid he, ſo I might run with kings.
ref: 1612, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “The Life of Alexander the Great”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, Compared together by that Grave Learned Philosopher and Historiographer Plutarke of Chæronea: […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 675:
text: The Olympian Games were celebrated at the Full Moon after the Somer Solſtice, ſo the Olympian Years begin at that Seaſon.
ref: 1705, Tho[mas] Hearne, “The Gro[u]nds of Chronology”, in Ductor Historicus: Or, A Short System of Universal History, and an Introduction to the Study of It. […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: […] Tim[othy] Childe, […], →OCLC, book I (Chronology), page 22:
text: During his Exile he [Cimon Coalemos] obtain'd the Olympian Prize in the Quadrijugal Chariot-race, and transferr'd the Honour to Miltiades [the Elder] his Mother's Son.
ref: 1720, Herodotus, “Book VI. Erato.”, in Isaac Littlebury, transl., The History of Herodotus: Translated from the Greek, 2nd edition, volume II, London: […] A. Bell, […], →OCLC, page 126:
text: Q. Were Women allow'd to be preſent at thoſe Games? / A. At firſt they were ſo ſtrict in this reſpect, that any Women who croſs'd the River Alpheus while theſe Games were celebrating, were condemn'd to be tumbled down a Rock. But afterwards, Women were even ſuffer'd to perform in the Olympian Games, and they ſometimes won the Prizes.
ref: 1743, [John Lockman], “Of the Customs and Manners of the Grecians”, in The History of Greece. By Way of Question and Answer. […], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley […], and sold by M. Cooper […], →OCLC, section II (Of Publick Festivals; viz. of the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games), page 172:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Of or relating to the ancient Olympic Games held at Olympia; Olympic.
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
glosses: Of or relating to the modern Olympic Games; Olympic.
Derived terms: Olympianesque