Milesian

¹

[ mi-lee-zhuhn, -shuhn, mahy- ]

noun

, Irish Legend.

1. any of the people from Spain who invaded Ireland and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann, and who were the ancestors of the present Irish people.
2. (sometimes lowercase) an Irishman.

adjective

1. (sometimes lowercase) Irish.

Milesian

²

[ mi-lee-zhuhn, -shuhn, mahy- ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Miletus.
2. Philosophy. noting or pertaining to a school of philosophers of the late 7th to early 5th centuries b.c., including Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, which was primarily concerned with the nature of matter and change.

noun

1. a native of Miletus.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Milesian¹

1765–75; Milēsi ( us ) (Latinization of Irish Miled, legendary Spanish king) + -an

Origin of Milesian²

1540–50; < Latin Milēsius inhabitant of Miletus ( def ) + -an

Example Sentences

Large congregations attend this chapel, and the bulk, as already intimated, are of the Milesian order.

From Project Gutenberg

Virgil represents the virgins of Cyrene spinning Milesian wool dyed of a deep sea-green.

From Project Gutenberg

The contour of his face, as well as the features, is decidedly Milesian.

From Project Gutenberg

And in the end O'Hara, who was also proud of his Milesian patronymic, was obliged to admit he was right.

From Project Gutenberg

The Irish banshee is held to be the distinction only of families of pure Milesian descent.

From Project Gutenberg