Meaning & use
Constantine
Last updated
Meanings
proper nounproper
The Roman emperor who ruled in the early fourth century, ended the persecution of Christians in the empire and made Constantinople his new capital.
Grammar: Always capitalized; usually Constantine or Constantine the Great, with no article before the bare name.
Patterns
- Constantine the Great
- the reign of Constantine
Constantine moved the center of power from Rome to the east.
Historians still debate how sincere Constantine's Christian faith really was.
The arch of Constantine still stands near the Colosseum in Rome.
proper nounproper
A given name for men, and the name of several later rulers of the Byzantine Empire and Greece.
Grammar: Used as a first name or a royal name, often followed by a number: Constantine XI.
Patterns
- Constantine XI
Constantine XI was the last Byzantine emperor.
My neighbor Constantine runs the bakery on the corner.
Several Greek kings were named Constantine.
Common combinations
- Emperor Constantine
- Emperor Constantine summoned the bishops to a council in 325.
- Constantine the Great
- Constantine the Great is honored as a saint in the Orthodox Church.
- the Arch of Constantine
- Tourists photograph the Arch of Constantine each day.
- the Donation of Constantine
- The Donation of Constantine was later shown to be a forgery.
- the Edict of Milan
- Constantine is linked to the Edict of Milan in 313.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Constantine I
- Constantine I is the formal numbered title for the same emperor, used mainly in scholarly books.
- Constantine the Great
- This is the honorific form and is the most common way textbooks refer to him.
Word family
- Constantinople proper noun
- the city he founded, now Istanbul
- Constantinopolitan adjective
- relating to Constantinople
- Constantinian adjective
- relating to the age or policies of Constantine
- Byzantine adjective
- relating to the eastern empire he helped found
Commonly confused: Constantine or constant? Constantine or Constantinople?
Constantine vs constant
Constant is an ordinary adjective meaning steady, and despite the shared spelling it is not related to the emperor's name in everyday use.
Constantine vs Constantinople
Constantinople is the city, not the person; the emperor gave it his name.
Practice
Which city did Constantine found as the new capital of the Roman Empire?
Choose one answer.
Constantine founded Constantinople on the site of Byzantium. Alexandria and Athens were already established cities.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Constantine”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.