Medicean

English

Etymology

From post-classical Latin Mediceus (16th century; from the family name Medici) +‎ -an.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mɛdɪˈtʃiːən/

Adjective

Medicean (comparative more Medicean, superlative most Medicean)

1. (astronomy, now historical) Designating the four largest moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto), as named by Galileo in honour of his future patron Cosimo II de' Medici. [from 17th c.]
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, III.2.2.iv:

     Four Medicean stars dance about Jupiter, two Austrian about Saturn, etc., and all (belike) to the music of the spheres.

   • 2015, David Wootton, The Invention of Science, Penguin, published 2016, page 296:

     Evelyn recorded a suggestion that the Society might take as its coat of arms a representation of a pair of crossed telescopes surmounted by the Medicean planets.

2. Pertaining to the Medici family. [from 17th c.]

Anagrams

• decamine, made nice, medicane