Cimmerian

See also: cimmerian

English

Etymology 1

From the Latin Cimmerius, from Ancient Greek Κιμμέριος (Kimmérios, “pertaining to the Cimmerii”) +‎ -an.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɪˈmɪəɹ.ɪ.ən/
• Rhymes: -ɪərɪən

Noun

Cimmerian (plural Cimmerians)

1. (Greek mythology) Any of the mythical people supposed to inhabit a land of perpetual darkness.
   • 1791, Homer, The Odyssey of Homer, translated by William Cowper

     The city, there, of the Cimmerians stands
     With clouds and darkness veil’d, on whom the sun
     Deigns not to look with his beam-darting eye,

   • 1900, Jack London, The Shrinkage of the Planet

     On their mysterious shores were the improbable homes of impossible peoples. The Great Sea, the Broad Sea, the Boundless Sea; the Ethiopians, "dwelling far away, the most distant of men," and the Cimmerians, "covered with darkness and cloud," where "baleful night is spread over timid mortals."

2. one of the Cimmerii, ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin
   • 1588, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Titus Andronicus

     Believe me, queen, your swarth Cimmerian
     Doth make your honour of his body's hue,
     Spotted, detested, and abominable.

   • 1902, Encyclopedia Britannica

     The Phrygian power was broken in the 9th or 8th century B.C. by the Cimmerians, who entered Asia Minor through Armenia

   • 1910, Herodotus (484 B.C.E.–425 B.C.E.), History of Herodotus, translated by George Rawlinson

     In his reign the Cimmerians, driven from their homes by the nomads of Scythia, entered Asia and captured Sardis

3. (historical) the prophetic priestess presiding over the Apollonian Oracle at Cimmerium in Italy.
   • 1867 to 1885, Lactantius (240–320 C.E.), Ante-Nicene Fathers, translated by William Fletcher

     Varro relates that there were ten Sibyls,—the first of the Persians, the second the Libyan, the third the Delphian, the fourth the Cimmerian...

Translations

any of the mythical people supposed to inhabit a land of perpetual darkness

• Greek: Κιμμέριος (el) m (Kimmérios)
• Polish: Kimmeryjczyk m, Kimmeryjka f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: cimério (pt) m
• Spanish: cimerio m

one of the Cimmerii, ancient equestrian nomads of Indo-European origin

• Armenian: կիմեր (kimer), գամիր (hy) (gamir)
• French: Cimmérien (fr) m
• German: Kimmerier m, Kimmerierin f
• Hungarian: kimmer
• Italian: Cimmero m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Portuguese: cimério (pt) m
• Russian: киммери́ец (ru) m (kimmeríjec)
• Spanish: cimerio m

prophetic priestess at Cimmerium

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• French: ^{(please verify)} Kimmérien
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} Cimmero m, ^{(please verify)} Cimmera f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Latin: ^{(please verify)} Cimmerius
• Spanish: ^{(please verify)} Cimmerio m

Adjective

Cimmerian (comparative more Cimmerian, superlative most Cimmerian)

1. Pertaining to the ancient Cimmerians.
2. Characteristic of Cimmeria; especially describing particularly dense darkness etc.
   • Template:RQ:Florio Montaigne Essayes

Translations

describing particularly dense darkness

• German: kimmerisch
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Proper noun

Cimmerian

1. the language of the Cimmerians, possibly belonging to the Iranian branch

Translations

language

• Armenian: կիմերերեն (hy) (kimereren)
• German: Kimmerisch n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: киммерийский (ru) (kimmerijskij)

Etymology 2

Cimmeria +‎ -an.

Adjective

Cimmerian (not comparable)

1. related to the prehistoric continent of Cimmeria