Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

Cretan

[kreet-n]
adjective
  1. of or relating to the island of Crete or its inhabitants.
Show More
noun
  1. a native or inhabitant of Crete.
Show More

Origin of Cretan

< Latin Crētānus. See Crete, -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for cretan

Historical Examples of cretan

  • Of the Cretan laws, I shall leave the defence to my Cnosian friend.

    Laws

    Plato

  • And our Cretan colony should, and probably will, have a character for virtue, such as few cities have.

    Laws

    Plato

  • We were speaking of the syssitia, which will be a natural institution in a Cretan colony.

    Laws

    Plato

  • Some of them too are derived from Crete, and are appropriately transferred to a Cretan colony.

    Laws

    Plato

  • A connexion with Athens is likewise intimated by the Cretan Cleinias.

    Laws

    Plato

British Dictionary definitions for cretan

Cretan

adjective
  1. of or relating to Crete or its inhabitants
Show More
noun
  1. a native or inhabitant of Crete
Show More
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

Word Origin and History for cretan

Cretan

n.

Old English Cretense (plural), from Latin Cretanus (singular); see Crete. They were proverbial in ancient times as liars; cf. Greek kretismos "lying," literally "Cretan behavior."

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper