Milesian

¹ American  

[mi-lee-zhuhn, -shuhn, mahy-] / mɪˈli ʒən, -ʃən, maɪ- /

noun

Irish Legend.

1. any of the people from Spain who invaded Ireland and defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann, and who were the ancestors of the present Irish people.

2. (sometimes lowercase) an Irishman.

---

adjective

1. (sometimes lowercase) Irish.

Milesian ² American  

[mi-lee-zhuhn, -shuhn, mahy-] / mɪˈli ʒən, -ʃən, maɪ- /

adjective

1. of or relating to Miletus.

2. Philosophy. noting or pertaining to a school of philosophers of the late 7th to early 5th centuries b.c., including Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, which was primarily concerned with the nature of matter and change.

---

noun

1. a native of Miletus.

Milesian British  

/ maɪˈliːzɪən /

adjective

1. Irish

---

noun

1. an Irishman

Etymology

Origin of Milesian¹

1765–75; Milēsi ( us ) (Latinization of Irish Miled, legendary Spanish king) + -an

Origin of Milesian²

1540–50; < Latin Milēsius inhabitant of Miletus ( def. ) + -an

Example Sentences

Thales and two of his students, Anaximander and Anaximenes, made up the monist Milesian school.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

Mr. Glasper, who supervised the music in Don Cheadle’s brash, kinetic biopic, “Miles Ahead,” has studied Milesian music and attitude closely over the last several years.

From New York Times • May 25, 2016

Milesian, mi-lē′zhan, adj. of or pertaining to Ireland or to the Irish race.—n. an Irishman.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various

Confident in the strength of his brawny arm, the young Milesian evinced no scruples.

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 370, August 1846 by Various

At first all these Milesian colonies were independent of each other, but at last they became united into the kingdom of the Bosphorus, B.C.

From Travels in the Steppes of the Caspian Sea, the Crimea, the Caucasus, &c. by Hell, Xavier Hommaire de