Chian

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounspecialist

   Of or from Chios, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, especially describing its wine, mastic gum or pottery.

   Grammar: Capitalized, usually before a noun: Chian wine. Not comparable.

   Patterns

   • Chian + noun

   Ancient writers praised Chian wine as one of the finest in the Greek world.

   The museum displays Chian pottery from the sixth century BC.

   Chian mastic is still harvested from trees on the island.

2. 2nouncountable

   A person who comes from Chios or lives there.

   Grammar: Capitalized, like other nationality words: a Chian, the Chians.

   Patterns

   • a Chian

   A Chian merchant sold the cargo in the harbor.

   The Chians were famed for their seamanship.

   Many Chians emigrated to cities on the Mediterranean coast.

Word forms

Common combinations

Chian wine

Chian wine was exported across the ancient Mediterranean.

Chian mastic

Chian mastic flavors sweets and liqueurs.

Chian pottery

Chian pottery is easy to spot by its white slip.

Chian merchant

A Chian merchant is mentioned in the inscription.

Chian vintage

Poets spoke warmly of a Chian vintage.

Synonyms and how they differ

Chiot

Chiot is a rarer variant, used mainly in older or specialized writing about the island.

Greek

Greek is far broader, covering any person or thing from Greece, while Chian points to one island.

Word family

Chios proper noun

the Greek island the word comes from

mastic noun

a resin harvested from trees on Chios, used in food and varnish

Commonly confused: Chian or Chianti?

Practice

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