Aegean

adjective

Ae·​ge·​an i-ˈjē-ən How to pronounce Aegean (audio)
1
: of or relating to the arm of the Mediterranean Sea east of Greece
2
: of or relating to the chiefly Bronze Age civilization of the islands of the Aegean Sea and the countries adjacent to it

Examples of Aegean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
From the olive groves of the Aegean coast to the spice-laden kitchens of Anatolia, every dish at Meyhouse carries a story rooted in heritage and brought to life with attention to detail and care. — Chelsea Davis, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 According to Parachute, this specific cotton comes from the Aegean region in western Turkey. — Lauren Thomann, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin Aegaeus (borrowed from Greek Aigaîos) + -an entry 2

First Known Use

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Aegean was in 1513

Rhymes for Aegean

See All Rhymes for Aegean

Browse Nearby Words

aegagrus
Aegean
Aegean Islands
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Aegean.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Aegean. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Words You Always Have to Look Up

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes: A-Z List of Examples
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

What do SCOTUS, POTUS, and FLOTUS mean?

'When Pigs Fly' and Other Barnyard Idioms
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
kestrel
Name That Bird Quiz Are you as wise as an owl or just another birdbrain?
See All