Corinthian
Americanadjective
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of, relating to, or characteristic of Corinth.
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Architecture. noting or pertaining to one of the five classical orders invented in ancient Greece and similar in most respects to the Ionic but usually of slenderer proportions, and characterized by a deep capital with a round bell decorated with acanthus leaves and a square abacus with concave sides. The Corinthian capital has typically two distinct rows of acanthus leaves above which appear eight fluted sheaths, from each of which spring two scrolls helices, of which one curls beneath a corner of the abacus as half of a volute and the other curls beneath the center of the abacus.
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ornate, as literary style.
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luxurious or licentious.
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pertaining to or designating a style of vase painting developed in Corinth, in the 7th and early 6th centuries b.c., characterized chiefly by human, animal, and ornamental motifs, painted boldly in a black figure style on a terra-cotta ground, often arranged in tiers around the vase.
noun
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a native or inhabitant of Corinth.
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a man about town, especially one who lives luxuriously or, sometimes, dissolutely.
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an amateur yachtsman.
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Manège. a horse-show class in which each contestant must be a member of a recognized hunt and wear regulation hunt livery.
adjective
noun
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a native or inhabitant of Corinth
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an amateur sportsman
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rare a man about town, esp one who is dissolute
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Corinthian
1350–1400; Middle English Corinthi ( es ) men of Corinth (< Latin Corinthiī < Greek Korínthioi; see Corinth) + -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.
See Examples For:
He has also hinted at changes to the North Portico's 200-year-old columns -- which are in the Ionic style and not his preferred, more ornate Corinthian style -- and have recently been covered by scaffolding.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
Guests on the Orient Express Corinthian ship have access to custom tailoring as well as a library with 1,500 books.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 18, 2026
In design terms, however, Abbott said he would have preferred a brick surface, and felt the Corinthian columns on the ballroom were not appropriate.
From Slate ● Aug. 5, 2025
Dug sits upright on the limo’s black Corinthian leather seat, flanked by crystal liquor decanters on one side and a TV and VCR on the other.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2025
A report done in elementary school on Greek and Roman architecture, Corinthian and Ionic and Doric columns copied from an encyclopedia onto tracing paper.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
In a prerecorded video, President Donald Trump read from the New Testament book of 2 Corinthians.
From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026
She eventually earned a place in the Under-15 side of Corinthians, a powerhouse of South American women's football with six Copa Libertadores titles.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
The first Englishman to play in Brazil's top flight, Lingard is enjoying his early days as a Corinthians player and last week scored his first goal in the Copa do Brasil.
From BBC ● Apr. 27, 2026
However, Corinthians shocked US champions Gotham FC in Wednesday's semi-finals and pushed Arsenal all the way in front of over 25,000 at the Emirates Stadium.
From Barron's ● Feb. 1, 2026
When Miss Graham first saw Corinthians, she was not at all impressed with her.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
