Athenian

[uh-thee-nee-uhn]

adjective

1. pertaining to Athens, Greece.

noun

1. a native or citizen of Athens, Greece.

Athenian

/ əˈθiːnɪən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Athens

adjective

1. of or relating to Athens

Other Word Forms

• anti-Athenian adjective
• pro-Athenian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Athenian¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin Athēni(ēnsis) “of Athens” + -an; -ensis

Example Sentences

Fishkin draws on the deliberative aspects of Madison’s design, along with the Athenian model of democracy — which involved multiple deliberative bodies fulfilling different functions — as inspirational guideposts.

From Salon

Athenian citizens would gather at an open-air theater as a democratic privilege and responsibility.

From Los Angeles Times

Athenian tragedy frequently placed recognizable civic dilemmas in a mythic framework, prompting the audience to examine questions of justice, governance and communal values.

From Salon

Some scholars also think the head might have been fabricated in Greece, given the close relationship between the two regions — an Athenian commission brought to Thrace to mark a neighboring king’s grave.

From Los Angeles Times

Similar assemblies were at the core of Athenian democracy more than 2,000 years ago, and they’ve been revived recently across the world, mostly in Europe.

From Salon