Pompeian

American  

[pom-pey-uhn, -pee-] / pɒmˈpeɪ ən, -ˈpi- /

Or Pompeiian

adjective

1. of or relating to Pompeii, or its culture.

2. pertaining to or designating a style of mural painting, examples of which have been found in or near Pompeii, Herculaneum, etc., dating from about the beginning of the 1st century b.c. to a.d. 79, characterized chiefly by the illusion of three-dimensional form organized in an architectonic structure.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Pompeii.

Etymology

Origin of Pompeian

From the Latin word Pompeiānus, dating back to 1825–35. See Pompeii, -an

Example Sentences

Von Stuck delights in contrasts: On the “Orpheus wall,” he enthrones the mythical lyre-player above tamed animals in an architectural fresco based on Pompeian murals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

We're partial to the specialty brand Valpolicella, as well as the grocery store favorite Pompeian.

From Salon • Jun. 8, 2022

This first "Pompeian human genome" is an almost complete set of "genetic instructions" from the victims, encoded in DNA extracted from their bones.

From BBC • May 26, 2022

Naples and Pompeii are themselves experiencing rebirths, adding an extra dimension to a show about the irrepressibility of Pompeian life.

From New York Times • Jan. 3, 2018

She thought she must be dreaming when she saw that her husband had changed out of his wedding suit into black silk pajamas and a velvet Pompeian bathrobe.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende