Smyrnian

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Of or belonging to Smyrna, an ancient Greek city on the coast of Asia Minor, now Izmir in Turkey
2. Relating to Smyrna or its inhabitants, culture, and history in ancient times
3. Connected with or characteristic of Smyrna, the historic Mediterranean port city of antiquity

Etymology: Smyrnian is an alternative spelling of "Smyrnaean", the adjective for Smyrna, the ancient Greek city on the Aegean coast of present-day Turkey, now called Izmir. The city's name goes back to antiquity, and its Latin adjective "Smyrnaeus" gave English the basis for the form. English then added its own adjective-forming suffix "-an", which is the same ending found in words like "Lutheran" or "Victorian" for people and things connected with a place or person. The result is a word that simply means "of or relating to Smyrna." Because the Latin base is ultimately Greek in origin, the spelling "Smyrnian" with a single "a" is a more streamlined English variant of the longer form, which keeps the Latin "-aeus" ending intact.