Byzantine

1 of 2

adjective

Byz·​an·​tine ˈbi-zᵊn-ˌtēn 

ˈbī-,

-ˌtīn;

bə-ˈzan-ˌtēn,

bī-ˈzan- 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the ancient city of Byzantium

Byzantine art

2

architecture : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of a style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire especially in the fifth and sixth centuries featuring the dome carried on pendentives over a square and incrustation with marble veneering and with colored mosaics on grounds of gold

3

Christianity : of or relating to the churches using a traditional Greek rite and subject to Eastern (see eastern sense 2) canon law

4

often not capitalized

a

: of, relating to, or characterized by a devious and usually surreptitious manner of operation

a Byzantine power struggle

b

: intricately involved : labyrinthine

rules of Byzantine complexity

Byzantine

2 of 2

noun

: a native or inhabitant of Byzantium

Did you know?

Byzantine, a Word for History Buffs

Today, the city that lies on the Bosporus Strait in Turkey is named Istanbul, but it was once known as Constantinople (a name given to it when it became the capital of the Byzantine Empire, aka the eastern half of the Roman Empire), and in ancient times, it was called Byzantium. Its history is legendary—filled with mystics, wars, and political infighting—and over time the word Byzantine (from the Late Latin word Byzantinus, the name for a native of Byzantium) became synonymous in English with anything characteristic of the city or empire, from architecture to intrigue. The figurative sense used to describe that which is intricately involved and not easily understood first appeared in the early 20th century.

Synonyms

Adjective

• baroque
• complex
• complicate
• complicated
• convoluted
• daedal
• elaborate
• intricate
• involute
• involved
• knotty
• labyrinthian
• labyrinthine
• sophisticated
• tangled

Examples of Byzantine in a Sentence

Adjective

spent his first year at the Pentagon just trying to fathom its byzantine workings

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The company behind the transportation project redesigned the metro line, boring subway tunnels 102 feet deeper than originally planned so the once-bustling road that ran through a Byzantine market could remain intact as an open archaeological site. —Leslie Katz, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024

Tel Qana is a historically rich location that contains evidence of ancient settlements spanning multiple historical periods, from the Bronze Age to the Byzantine era. —Mark R. Weaver, Newsweek, 4 Dec. 2024

The city became a cultural hub during the Roman and Byzantine periods and is known for its archaeological riches, including baths, churches, burial sites and theaters. —Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Nov. 2024

The Byzantine Generals Problem: History Meets Blockchain To grasp the essence of BFT, imagine Byzantine generals encircling an enemy city. —Gary Weinstein, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1651, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

Byzantine

1 of 2 noun

Byz·​an·​tine ˈbiz-ən-ˌtēn  bə-ˈzan- 

ˈbīz-ən-;

ˈbiz-ən-ˌtīn

: a person born or living in Byzantium or in the Byzantine Empire

Byzantine

2 of 2 adjective

1

: of, relating to, or typical of Byzantium or the Eastern Roman Empire

2

: of or relating to a style of architecture developed in the Byzantine Empire especially in the 5th and 6th centuries characterized by a central dome over a square space and by much use of mosaics