Sogdian

American  

[sog-dee-uhn] / ˈsɒg di ən /

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Sogdiana.

2. the extinct Iranian language of Sogdiana.

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sogdian British  

/ ˈsɒɡdɪən /

noun

1. a member of the people who lived in Sogdiana

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

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adjective

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

Etymology

Origin of Sogdian

From the Greek word Sogdianós, dating back to 1770–80. See Sogdiana, -ian

Example Sentences

Indeed, under first the Seleucids and then the breakaway kingdoms of the Bactrian and Sogdian rulers, Greek learning flourished in Sogdiana,

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

By the end of the eighth century, much of Sogdiana was ruled by the Abbasid Caliphate, and Sogdian communities abroad gradually assimilated, as in China, for example.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

Less than an hour away from the Sogdian ruins was Istaravshan, famous for its many medieval mosques.

From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2022

Sogdian trading networks once stretched from Samarkand into ancient China and India.

From New York Times • Nov. 3, 2022

I thought maybe he didn’t speak the common Sogdian tongue.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri