Aegean
Americanadjective
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pertaining to the Aegean Sea or Aegean Islands.
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pertaining to or denoting the prehistoric civilization that preceded the historic Hellenic period and flourished on the various islands and nearby regions of the Aegean Sea, as at Crete and Argolis.
noun
adjective
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of or relating to the Aegean Sea or Islands
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of or relating to the Bronze Age civilization of Greece, Asia Minor, and the Aegean Islands
Etymology
Origin of Aegean
First recorded in 1510–20; from Latin Aegae(us) or directly from Greek Aigaîos + -an
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On the sloping shoreline of the Greek Aegean island of Milos, a vast construction site has left a gaping wound into the island's trademark volcanic rock.
From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026
In nonfiction, I enjoyed Emily Hauser’s “Penelope’s Bones,” a riveting exploration, through recent archaeological discoveries, of how Bronze Age women of the Aegean actually lived.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 12, 2025
The listing adds, “The custom lacquered kitchen, finished in rich Aegean blue with bronze accents and Calacatta marble, is as functional as it is striking.”
From MarketWatch • Nov. 10, 2025
"Excitingly, the region between the North Aegean and the Anatolian mainland, may still hold valuable clues to early occupation despite the challenges posed by active geomorphological processes."
From Science Daily • Oct. 12, 2025
Walking in sandals on the edge of the blue Aegean.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.