corinthian means of or relating to Corinth. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 74 out of 100.
corinthian is pronounced /kəˈɹɪnθi.ən/.
Why “corinthian” is a great word
CORINTHIAN — [Adjective] Of or relating to the ancient Greek city of Corinth, especially its ornate architectural order or its historical reputation for opulence and licentiousness. From Latin Corinthius ("of Corinth") + the English suffix -an. The senses related to opulence or debauchery derive from the historical reputation of ancient Corinth. Unlike "Doric," which denotes the oldest and most severe classical order, or "austere," which champions a philosophy of stark simplicity, Corinthian is an aesthetic of indulgent elaboration. It is the stone acanthus leaves curling with impossible delicacy atop a marble column, the gleam of Phoenician bronze in a sunlit port, and the whispered gossip of a city where wealth flowed as freely as wine—a word that marries artistry with excess, suggesting beauty and corruption share the same intricate capital.
adj
- Of or relating to Corinth.
- Of the Corinthian order.“The silver waters of the spring had long since disappeared, but there still were left a few of the Corinthian pillars, some stretched on the ground and overgrown with creeping-plants, while two or three yet remained erect, and showed how graceful the whole must have been.”
- Elaborate, ornate.
- Debauched in character or practice; impure.“all her young Corinthian laity”
- Being a sporting event (originally in horse racing and yachting) restricted to gentleman amateurs.“Corinthian Stakes of 10 Guineas ... To be rode by Gentlemen.”
noun
- An inhabitant or a resident of Corinth, and its suburbs.
- An inhabitant, a resident of; a thing that originates from Corinthia
- An accomplished amateur athlete.
- A sailboat owner who helms his or her own boat in competitive racing.
- A worldly, fashionable person, accepted in society though possibly dissolute.