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Nov 5, 2004

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Toponyms

This week's words
neanderthal
zabernism
macedoine
cilice
corinthian

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What does that car name mean?

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corinthian

adjective:
1. Of, or pertaining to the Greek city of Corinth.
2. Of, or relating to the Corinthian order, one of the five classical orders of building design.
3. Highly ornate.
4. Licentious or luxurious.

noun:
1. A native or inhabitant of Corinth.
2. A profligate or licentious person.
3. A wealthy amateur, especially an amateur yachtsman.

[From Latin Corinthius, from Greek Korinthios. After Corinth, a city in Greece, one of the richest and most powerful in ancient Greece.]

"Scenic designer Paul Shortt's Corinthian columns and classical motif provided a suitable and efficient backdrop for the action."
David Abrams; Near-perfect 'Otello' Needs 'Moor'; The Post-Standard (Syracuse, New York); Oct 23, 2004.

"The Corinthian spirit which marked out the extreme ironing pioneers has inevitably been diluted in the cash-rich commercial era."
Alex Galbinski; NSPCC Steam in to Flatten the Opposition; Barnet and Potters Bar Times (Hendon, UK); Oct 20, 2004.

See more usage examples of corinthian in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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