Byzantine

[ biz-uhn-teen, -tahyn, bahy-zuhn-, bih-zan-tin ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Byzantium.
2. of or relating to the Byzantine Empire.
3. noting or pertaining to the architecture of the Byzantine Empire and to architecture influenced by or imitating it: characterized by masonry construction, round arches, impost blocks, low domes on pendentives, the presence of fine, spiky foliage patterns in low relief on stone capitals and moldings, and the use of frescoes, mosaics, and revetments of fine stone to cover whole interiors.
4. Fine Arts. pertaining to or designating the style of the fine or decorative arts developed and elaborated in the Byzantine Empire and its provinces: characterized chiefly by an ecclesiastically prescribed iconography, highly formal structure, severe confinement of pictorial space to a shallow depth, and the use of rich, often sumptuous color.
5. (sometimes lowercase) complex or intricate:

   a deal requiring Byzantine financing.

6. (sometimes lowercase) characterized by elaborate scheming and intrigue, especially for the gaining of political power or favor:

   Byzantine methods for holding on to his chairmanship.

7. of or relating to the Byzantine Church.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Byzantium.

Byzantine

/ bɪˈzænˌtaɪn; ˈbɪzənˌtiːn; baɪ-; bɪˈzæntaɪˌnɪzəm; -tiː; -ˌtaɪn; -ˌtiːn; -taɪ-; baɪ-; ˈbɪzəntiːˌnɪzəm /

adjective

1. of, characteristic of, or relating to Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire
2. of, relating to, or characterizing the Orthodox Church or its rites and liturgy
3. of or relating to the highly coloured stylized form of religious art developed in the Byzantine Empire
4. of or relating to the style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire, characterized by massive domes with square bases, rounded arches, spires and minarets, and the extensive use of mosaics
5. denoting the Medieval Greek spoken in the Byzantine Empire
6. (of attitudes, etc) inflexible or complicated

noun

1. an inhabitant of Byzantium

Derived Forms

• Byzantinism, noun

Other Words From

• pre-Byzan·tine adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Byzantine¹

1590–1600; < Late Latin Bȳzantīnus of Byzantium; -ine ¹

Example Sentences

But this measure is a Byzantine quagmire of foggy muddle.

From Los Angeles Times

Her research spanned “thousands of years of history” as she drew inspiration from cultures including the Roman and Byzantine Empires and the Mayans.

From BBC

There's the American healthcare system, which proves too Byzantine for the boys to navigate when trying to obtain medical help for their friend Cartman.

From Salon

Viking Age trade routes stretched from modern Iceland, Britain, and Ireland in the West all the way to the Byzantine and Arab Empires in the East.

From Science Daily

Once part of the Byzantine Empire, it was later hotly contested between the Ottoman Empire and the Venetians, who called the town Lepanto.

From Seattle Times