eolian

adjective

eo·​lian ē-ˈō-lē-ən 

-ˈōl-yən

variants or less commonly aeolian

: borne, deposited, produced, or eroded by the wind

Did you know?

When Aeolus blew into town, things really got moving. He was the Greek god of the winds and the king of the floating island of Aeolia. In The Odyssey, Homer claims Aeolus helped Odysseus by giving him a favorable wind. Aeolus also gave English speakers a few terms based on his name, including the adjective eolian (also spelled aeolian), which is often used for wind-sculpted geological features such as caves and dunes, and aeolian harp, the name for an instrument that makes music when the wind blows across its strings.

Word History

Etymology

Latin Aeolus, Aeolus

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

eolian

adjective

eo·​lian

variants also aeolian

ē-ˈō-lē-ən,

-ˈōl-yən

: carried, deposited, produced, or eroded by the wind