Athenian
Americanadjective
noun
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Athenian
First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin Athēni(ēnsis) “of Athens” + -an; see -ensis
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.
The gargantuan breakfast burritos at my favorite place to get one, Athenian III in Buena Park, run about $13.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The Parthenon won’t be built for another 800 years; likewise, Athenian democracy is centuries away.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
In the early days of the Peloponnesian War, 150 Athenian ships stood ready to sail against Sparta.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026
Instead, it closely matches Phrygians, a lesser known tragedy written by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 13, 2026
“In Greek it stands for Of The Athenians...or you could read it as the children of Athena. It’s sort of the Athenian motto.”
From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan
![]()
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.