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Athenian

American  
[uh-thee-nee-uhn] / əˈθi ni ən /

adjective

  1. pertaining to Athens, Greece.


noun

  1. a native or citizen of Athens, Greece.

Athenian British  
/ əˈθiːnɪən /

noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Athens

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. of or relating to Athens

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Instead, it closely matches Phrygians, a lesser known tragedy written by the Athenian playwright Aeschylus.

From Science Daily • Feb. 13, 2026

The warship's welcoming ceremony outside the naval base of Salamis included a copy of an ancient Athenian trireme and the Georgios Averof, a historic cruiser that fought in the Balkan Wars.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

The frigate Kimon is named after a 5th century BCE Athenian admiral, who was the son of the victorious general at the Battle of Marathon, Miltiadis.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

“I’m more afraid of our own mistakes than I am of the enemy’s plans,” Pericles tells the Athenian assembly as he makes the case for war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

The only coin she had was her silver Athenian drachma, which didn’t make a great tribute.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

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