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Julian

1 American  
[jool-yuhn] / ˈdʒul jən /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Julius Caesar.


Julian 2 American  
[jool-yuhn] / ˈdʒul jən /

noun

  1. Flavius Claudius Julianusthe Apostate, a.d. 331–363, Roman emperor 361–363.

  2. a male given name, form of Julius.


Julian 1 British  
/ ˈdʒuːljən, -lɪən /

noun

  1. known as Julian the Apostate ; Latin name Flavius Claudius Julianus. 331–363 ad , Roman emperor (361–363), who attempted to revive paganism in the Roman empire while remaining tolerant to Christians and Jews

"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

Julian 2 British  
/ ˈdʒuːljən, -lɪən /

adjective

  1. of or relating to Julius Caesar

  2. denoting or relating to the Julian calendar

"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

Julian Scientific  
/ jo̅o̅lyən /
  1. American physician noted for developing cortisone and also physostigmine, a drug used to treat glaucoma and memory loss.


Etymology

Origin of Julian

1585–95; < Latin Jūliānus, equivalent to Jūli(us) Julius + -ānus -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:

If Smith’s turn was a sign of the top then it’ll remind some of Julian Robertson, a name more familiar to American investors of a certain age.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

Julian Fellowes and “Downton Abbey” really did a number on our common understanding of the upstairs-downstairs social dynamic.

From Salon Jul. 19, 2026

But that expansion was "entirely a price story caused by the ongoing shortage of memory chips", Julian Evans-Pritchard of Capital Economics said Tuesday, noting that the volume of semiconductor exports actually fell year-on-year in June.

From Barron's Jul. 15, 2026

That’s when Julian Alvarez steadied himself just outside the 18-yard box in the 112th minute.

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 12, 2026

I had heard Julian say this, but had never understood what he meant.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

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