Aeolian

¹ American  

[ee-oh-lee-uhn] / iˈoʊ li ən /

adjective

1. pertaining to Aeolus, or to the winds in general.

2. Usually aeolian of or caused by the wind; windblown.

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Aeolian ² American  

[ee-oh-lee-uhn] / iˈoʊ li ən /

Or Eolian

adjective

1. Also belonging to a nation of people in ancient Greece named after Aeolus, its legendary founder.

2. (lowercase) noting or pertaining to sand or rock material carried or arranged by the wind.

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noun

1. a member of one of the four main divisions of the prehistoric Greeks.

2. Aeolic.

aeolian ¹ British  

/ iːˈəʊlɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the wind; produced or carried by the wind

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Aeolian ² British  

/ iːˈəʊlɪən /

noun

1. a member of a Hellenic people who settled in Thessaly and Boeotia and colonized Lesbos and parts of the Aegean coast of Asia Minor

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adjective

1. of or relating to this people or their dialect of Ancient Greek; Aeolic

2. of or relating to Aeolus

3. denoting or relating to an authentic mode represented by the ascending natural diatonic scale from A to A: the basis of the modern minor key See also Hypo-

aeolian Scientific  

/ ē-ō′lē-ən /

1. See eolian

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Etymology

Origin of Aeolian¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; Aeoli(us) pertaining to Aeolus + -an adjective suffix; see -an

Origin of Aeolian²

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin Aeoli(ī), (from Greek Aioleîs “the Aeolians,” with change of suffix) + -an

Example Sentences

“We are all for goats running free, but let’s be clear: These aren’t Heidi’s kid goats,” said Carolina Barnao, a council member in neighboring Lipari, which administers its fellow Aeolian islands.

From New York Times • May 27, 2024

Experts at navigating the steep landscape of Alicudi, in the Aeolian archipelago north of Sicily, the goats have become a problem as they damage gardens and allotments.

From BBC • Apr. 4, 2024

He had an Aeolian pipe organ installed at one end of the room.

From Washington Post • May 25, 2018

The Aeolian Islands off Sicily each have their own beauty, but Panarea is the oldest.

From The Guardian • Aug. 31, 2017

Four vocalists were to be chosen to compete in the final round, but soon after Marian had returned from Aeolian Hall to Boghetti’s New York studio, the phone rang.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman