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)

(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."
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 BCE–425 BCE), 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
(historical) the prophetic priestess presiding over the Apollonian Oracle at Cimmerium in Italy.
- 1867 to 1885, Lactantius (240–320 CE), 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 m (Kimmérios)
Polish: Kimmeryjczyk m, Kimmeryjka f

Portuguese: cimério (pt) m
Spanish: cimerio m

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

Armenian: կիմեր (kimer), գամիր (hy) (gamir)
German: Kimmerier m, Kimmerierin f
Hungarian: kimmer
Italian: Cimmero m

Portuguese: cimério (pt) m
Russian: киммери́ец (ru) m (kimmeríjec)
Spanish: cimerio m

prophetic priestess at Cimmerium

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.

Translations to be checked

French: ^{(please verify)} Kimmérien
Italian: ^{(please verify)} Cimmero m, ^{(please verify)} Cimmera f

Latin: ^{(please verify)} Cimmerius
Spanish: ^{(please verify)} Cimmerio m

Adjective

Cimmerian (comparative more Cimmerian, superlative most Cimmerian)

Pertaining to the ancient Cimmerians.
Characteristic of Cimmeria; especially describing particularly dense darkness etc.
- 1603, John Florio, transl.; Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in The Essayes, […], book II, printed at London: By Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], OCLC 946730821:
  there it sleepeth, here it slumbreth: more or lesse they are ever darknesses, yea Cimmerian darknesses.

Translations

describing particularly dense darkness

German: kimmerisch

Proper noun

Cimmerian

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

Translations

language

Armenian: կիմերերեն (hy) (kimereren)
German: Kimmerisch n

Russian: киммерийский (ru) (kimmerijskij)

Etymology 2

Cimmeria +‎ -an.

Adjective

Cimmerian (not comparable)

related to the prehistoric continent of Cimmeria