Phoenician

American  

[fi-nish-uhn, -nee-shuhn] / fɪˈnɪʃ ən, -ˈni ʃən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Phoenicia.

2. the extinct Semitic language of the Phoenicians.

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adjective

1. of or relating to Phoenicia, its people, or their language.

2. noting or pertaining to the script used for the writing of Phoenician from the 11th century b.c. or earlier and from which were derived the Greek, Roman, and all other Western alphabets.

Phoenician British  

/ fəˈniːʃən, -ˈnɪʃɪən /

noun

1. a member of an ancient Semitic people of NW Syria who dominated the trade of the ancient world in the first millennium _bc and founded colonies throughout the Mediterranean

2. the extinct language of this people, belonging to the Canaanitic branch of the Semitic subfamily of the Afro-Asiatic family

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adjective

1. of or relating to Phoenicia, the Phoenicians, or their language

Etymology

Origin of Phoenician

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at Phoenicia, -an

Example Sentences

David Sassine, Aliph’s project manager in Beirut, was recently dispatched to Tyre, the archaeological site in southern Lebanon that’s famous for its history as a Phoenician maritime hub and for its production of purple dye.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

In antiquity, the city of Tyre was at various times Phoenician, Persian, Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine.

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

If “One Battle After Another” made you hungry for more Benicio Del Toro, his star turn in Wes Anderson’s “The Phoenician Scheme” is a hearty meal.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026

A couple of weeks ago, while out for drinks with a friend, I casually mentioned that I was looking forward to seeing the new Wes Anderson movie, “The Phoenician Scheme.”

From Salon • May 22, 2025

In Ionia, the Phoenician alphabet was first adapted to Greek usage and widespread literacy became possible.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan