Venetian

1 of 2

adjective

Ve·​ne·​tian və-ˈnē-shən 

1

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Venice, its people, or their dialect

2

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the historical European region of Venetia

venetian

2 of 2

noun

ve·​ne·​tian və-ˈnē-shən 

plural venetians

1

Venetian

a(1)

: a native or inhabitant of Venice

(2)

: a person of Venetian descent

b

: the Italian dialect of Venice

2

or venetian cloth

a

: a fine worsted fabric used especially for suits, coats, or dresses and made in twill or satin weave with a napped or clear surface and a lustrous finish

b

: a lustrous sateen used especially for linings

3

: venetian blind

Examples of Venetian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Sharon simultaneously pits a lasciviously immoral Venetian opera from 1643 with a new opera based on W.E.B. Du Bois’ dystopian, proto-Afrofuturist short story from 1920. —Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2024

It was first documented in the collection of a 17th-century Venetian spice merchant, before it was sold to English nobleman James Hamilton in 1638 and sent to London, according to Christie’s. —Mirna Alsharif, NBC News, 16 June 2024

The collection took inspiration from Marco Polo, the Venetian merchant who traveled from Europe to Asia during the 13th century. —Julia Teti, WWD, 12 June 2024

This storied peninsula contains traces of classical, Venetian, Byzantine, and Turkish rule. —Antonia Quirke, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1550, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing Venetian

• Venetian red