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• Scythian
  Scythian

  adjective

  pertaining to Scythia, its people, or their language.
• scythian
  scythian

  adjective

  of or relating to ancient Scythia, its inhabitants, or their language

Scythian

American  

[sith-ee-uhn] / ˈsɪθ i ən /

adjective

1. pertaining to Scythia, its people, or their language.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Scythia.

2. the Iranian language spoken by the ancient Scythians.

scythian British  

/ ˈsɪðɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to ancient Scythia, its inhabitants, or their language

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noun

1. a member of an ancient nomadic people of Scythia

2. the extinct language of this people, belonging to the East Iranian branch of the Indo-European family

Etymology

Origin of Scythian

First recorded in 1535–45; Scythi(a) + -an

Example Sentences

Prometheus found himself chained to the side of a Scythian mountain for disobeying the gods, who believed their strength depended on keeping people in dumb and servile awe.

From Salon • Jan. 5, 2025

Skif, Ukrainian shorthand for the nomadic Scythian people who founded an empire on what is now Crimea, moves like the camouflaged amphibian that he is: Calculating, deliberate, until the time to strike.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 25, 2023

It says 565 items - including Scythian and Sarmatian jewellery, and sculptures - are back from the Netherlands.

From BBC • Nov. 27, 2023

The items date from when the Scythian people lived in the area between the 7th and 3rd centuries BC.

From Reuters • Nov. 27, 2023

At length the utmost bound of earth we've reached, This Scythian soil, this wild untrodden waste.

From The English Novel And the Principle of its Development by Lanier, Sidney