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Eleusinian

[el-yoo-sin-ee-uh n]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to Eleusis or to the Eleusinian mysteries.
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noun
  1. a native or inhabitant of Eleusis.
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Origin of Eleusinian

1635–45; < Latin Eleusini(us) < Greek Eleusínios of Eleusis + -an
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for eleusinian

Historical Examples

  • So far so good; but this was only the first step of initiation into these Eleusinian mysteries.

    St. Winifred's

    Frederic W. Farrar

  • The Eleusinian temples had been erected in honour of the goddess Demeter.

  • Whence the prophetic Sybils, whence and what the Eleusinian mysteries?

  • Particularly characteristic of this is the legend of the Eleusinian mysteries.

  • It was divided between the treasury of Zoroaster and that of the Eleusinian mysteries.

Word Origin and History for eleusinian

Eleusinian

adj.

1640s, "pertaining to Eleusis," town outside Athens, site of the mystery associated with the cult of Demeter, goddess of harvests, and her daughter.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper