Byzantine

6 synonyms and 1 antonym for Byzantine, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Adj — Relating to the Byzantine Empire or its art and architecture.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

involved

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

tangled

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

tortuous knotty convoluted labyrinthine

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Relating to the Byzantine Empire or its art and architecture.

“The cathedral's mosaics are a fine example of Byzantine style.”

tortuous knotty convoluted labyrinthine tangled involved

2. adj

Excessively complicated, especially describing rules or bureaucracy.

“Getting a visa involved a byzantine set of forms and approvals.”

Opposites

simple

How to use Byzantine

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

byzantine bureaucracy byzantine rules byzantine architecture

Etymology

From Late Latin bȳzantīnus, from Byzantium — the figurative "overly complicated" sense comes from the reputation of the Byzantine imperial court for intrigue and complex politics.

Full origin of Byzantine →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Byzantine” mean?

The word “Byzantine” means relating to the Byzantine Empire or its art and architecture. In plain terms, either literally about the Byzantine Empire, or figuratively describing something needlessly convoluted.

How do you pronounce “Byzantine”?

“Byzantine” is pronounced bih-ZAN-tyn (/ˈbɪzəntiːn/ in IPA).

How do you use “Byzantine” in a sentence?

Here is “Byzantine” used in a sentence: “The cathedral's mosaics are a fine example of Byzantine style.”

What part of speech is “Byzantine”?

“Byzantine” is an adjective.

Where does the word “Byzantine” come from?

The word “Byzantine” comes from Late Latin. From Late Latin bȳzantīnus, from Byzantium — the figurative "overly complicated" sense comes from the reputation of the Byzantine imperial court for intrigue and complex politics.

Is “Byzantine” a common word?

“Byzantine” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Byzantine” have?

“Byzantine” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to the Byzantine Empire or its art and architecture.

People also searched

involved simple tangled tortuous knotty labyrinthine convoluted

Nearby words

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