Aeolian

¹

[ ee-oh-lee-uhn ]

adjective

1. pertaining to Aeolus, or to the winds in general.
2. Usually aeolian. of or caused by the wind; windblown.

Aeolian

²

or E·o·li·an

[ ee-oh-lee-uhn ]

adjective

1. Also belonging to a nation of people in ancient Greece named after Aeolus, its legendary founder.
2. (lowercase) Geology. noting or pertaining to sand or rock material carried or arranged by the wind.

noun

1. a member of one of the four main divisions of the prehistoric Greeks. Compare Achaean ( def 5 ), Dorian ¹( def 2 ), Ionian ( def 3 ).
2. Aeolic ( def 1 ).

Aeolian

¹

/ iːˈəʊlɪən /

noun

1. a member of a Hellenic people who settled in Thessaly and Boeotia and colonized Lesbos and parts of the Aegean coast of Asia Minor

adjective

1. of or relating to this people or their dialect of Ancient Greek; Aeolic
2. of or relating to Aeolus
3. denoting or relating to an authentic mode represented by the ascending natural diatonic scale from A to A: the basis of the modern minor key See also Hypo-

aeolian

²

/ iːˈəʊlɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to the wind; produced or carried by the wind

aeolian

/ ē-ō′lē-ən /

1. See eolian

Word History and Origins

Origin of Aeolian¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; Aeoli(us) pertaining to Aeolus + -an adjective suffix; -an

Origin of Aeolian²

First recorded in 1580–90; from Latin Aeoli(ī), (from Greek Aioleîs “the Aeolians,” with change of suffix) + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of Aeolian¹

C18: from Aeolus , god of the winds

Example Sentences

The two highest of these keys—the Hyper-lydian and the Hyper-aeolian—appear to have been added in the time of the Empire.

From Project Gutenberg

He added, presently, a great AEolian Orchestrelle, with a variety of music for his different moods.

From Project Gutenberg

The island here referred to is Hiera, one of the Aeolian isles, north-east of Sicily.

From Project Gutenberg

We owe to him the earliest counting-machine, and it was he who perfected the Aeolian harp, the speaking tube, and the microscope.

From Project Gutenberg

Other observers narrate that they have heard the efficacy of Aeolian sounds spoken of in Scotland for producing sleep.

From Project Gutenberg