Phrygian

American  

[frij-ee-uhn] / ˈfrɪdʒ i ən /

adjective

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

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Phrygia.

2. an Indo-European language that was the language of Phrygia.

Phrygian British  

/ ˈfrɪdʒɪən /

adjective

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

2. music of or relating to an authentic mode represented by the natural diatonic scale from E to E See Hypo-

3. music (of a cadence) denoting a progression that leads a piece of music out of the major key and ends on the dominant chord of the relative minor key

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of ancient Phrygia

2. an ancient language of Phrygia, belonging to the Thraco-Phrygian branch of the Indo-European family: recorded in a few inscriptions

Etymology

Origin of Phrygian

From the Latin word Phrygiānus, dating back to 1570–80. See Phrygia, -an

Example Sentences

The sculptor, Mr. Bartholdi, based the statue’s design on the Roman goddess Libertas, who is typically depicted wearing a Phrygian cap, traditionally worn by freed Roman slaves.

From New York Times

Some posts portrayed women of the French Revolution in their traditional “Phrygian” bonnets, and dresses with deep decolletés exposing cleavage.

From Washington Times

Allegedly, the Egyptian king Psammetichus wanted to figure out which language was the true first language on earth, the one that most perfectly reflected the human soul: was it Phrygian or Egyptian?

From Scientific American

S ilenus the satyr, stumbling with age and wine, was taken captive by the Phrygians and taken before King Midas.

From The Guardian

“The third act is 45 minutes long, and has just two harmonies. But when it explodes into pure Phrygian scale in the final aria, it’s, like, oh, this totally makes sense.”

From New York Times