Corinthian

From Corinth +‎ -ian.

• IPA^(key): /kəˈɹɪnθiən/

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• Hyphenation: Co‧rin‧thi‧an
• Rhymes: -ɪnθiən
• Homophone: Carinthian

Corinthian (comparative more Corinthian, superlative most Corinthian)

1. Of or relating to Corinth.
2. (architecture) Of the Corinthian Greek order.
   • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter II, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 21:

     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.

   • 1853, John Ruskin, “V, Byzantine Palaces”, in The Stones of Venice, volume II (The Sea-Stories), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC, § XV, page 130:

     The examples of the concave family in the Byzantine times are found principally either in large capitals founded on the Greek Corinthian, used chiefly for the nave pillars of churches, or in the small lateral shafts of the palaces.

3. Elaborate, ornate.
4. Debauched in character or practice; impure.
   • 1642 April, John Milton, An Apology for Smectymnuus; republished in A Complete Collection of the Historical, Political, and Miscellaneous Works of John Milton, […], Amsterdam [actually London: s.n.], 1698, →OCLC:

     all her young Corinthian laity

5. Being a sporting event (originally in horse racing and yachting) restricted to gentleman amateurs.
   • 1825 June 16, “Curragh June Meeting, 1825”, in Dublin Evening Post‎^[1], Dublin, page 4:

     Corinthian Stakes of 10 Guineas ... To be rode by Gentlemen.

   • 1844 July 1, “What Is A Gentleman?”, in Tait's Edinburgh Magazine‎^[2], volume xi, Edinburgh: William Tait, page 417:

     It was a condition of the race, that the horses should be ridden by gentlemen ... [I]t was submitted, that if none were to be reputed in the rank of gentlemen, whose wives had not been visited by Lady Clanricarde, the notion of a Corinthian Race might as well be given up at once, within twenty miles all round Portumna castle. It would amount, in fact, to a disgentilizing of two or three counties.

   • 1853 January 30, "The Man In The Mask", “The Regattas of 1853”, in Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle‎^[3], London, page 6:

     [W]e have horse races ... whereat the aforesaid noble animals are ridden by gentlemen, and if I err not are named "Corinthian."

   • 1856 October 1, “Royal Northern Yacht Club Regatta”, in Hunt's Yachting Magazine‎^[4], volume 5, London: Hunt, page 427:

     In Corinthian matches the yachts are steered and manned by gentlemen alone,

• Corinthianism
• Corinthianize
• Corinthian brass
• Corinthian bronze
• Corinthian Gulf
• Corinthian helmet
• Corinthian order
• Corinthian spirit

Corinthian (plural Corinthians)

1. An inhabitant or a resident of Corinth, and its suburbs.
2. An inhabitant, a resident of; a thing that originates from Corinthia
3. An accomplished amateur athlete.
4. A sailboat owner who helms his or her own boat in competitive racing.
5. A worldly, fashionable person, accepted in society though possibly dissolute.
6. (manège) Horse show-class in which contestants are members of a formal hunt and wear its livery, as opposed to appointment show-class.
7. A small tubular wafer used in desserts.