Minoan

M3I1N1O1A1N1
/mɪˈnəʊən/

adjective

Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age (about 3000-1050 B.C.E.).

OriginAncient Greek Μίνως →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

adjectiveMinoan (not comparable)
  1. not comparableOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age (about 3000-1050 B.C.E.).
  2. not comparableOf or relating to the writing systems (Linear A and Linear B) used in Crete and later in mainland Greece.
  3. not comparableOf or relating to the ancient language of the Minoans which died out by the beginning of the 1st millennium B.C.E.
nounMinoan (plural Minoans)

plural Minoans

  1. A person who belonged to the Minoan civilization.
proper noun
  1. The language written in Linear A.

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΜίνως
  2. EnglishMinoan

Sir Arthur Evans, not knowing the Minoan term for “Minoan” at the time, coined this name in the early 20th century, from Ancient Greek Μίνως (Mínōs), the mythical king of Crete. The actual name is probably reflected in Egyptian kftjw (perhaps reconstructible as *Káftayu) and Biblical Hebrew כַּפְתּוֹר (Kaftor, “Caphthor”).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مِينُوسِيّ, مِينُوسِيَّة
  • مِينُوسِيّ (mīnūsiyy)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • مِينُوسِيَّة (mīnūsiyya)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Catalan minoic, minoic
  • minoicOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • minoicMinoan
Chinese Mandarin 米诺斯
  • 米诺斯 (mǐnuòsī)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Dutch Minoïsch
  • MinoïschOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Finnish minolainen, minolainen
  • minolainenOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • minolainenMinoan
French minoen, Minoen
  • minoenOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • MinoenMinoan
  • MinoenneMinoan
German minoisch, minoisch
  • minoischOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • minoischMinoan
Greek μινωικός, Μινωίτης
  • μινωικός (minoïkós)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • Μινωίτης (Minoḯtis)Minoan
  • Μινωίτισσα (Minoḯtissa)Minoan
Hungarian minószi
  • minósziOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Italian minoico
  • minoicoOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Japanese ミノア
  • ミノア (minoa)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Lithuanian Minojo
  • MinojoOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Norwegian Bokmål minoisk
  • minoiskOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Polish kreteński
  • kreteńskiOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Portuguese minoico, minoico
  • minoicoOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • minoicoMinoan
Romanian minoic, minoian
  • minoicOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • minoianOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Russian минойский, миноец
  • минойский (minojskij)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • миноец (minojec)Minoan
Spanish minoico
  • minoicoOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Thai ไมนอส
  • ไมนอสOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Ukrainian мінойський
  • мінойський (minojsʹkyj)Of or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
Welsh Minoaidd, Minoad
  • MinoaiddOf or relating to the civilization that developed in Crete from the neolithic period to the Bronze Age
  • MinoadMinoan

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Minoan

OwenrowancowanSamoanprotozoangowaneoanPoeanTanoan
All rhymes →

Anagrams

Manionamnionnimona
Cite this entry
APA

Minoan. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Minoan

MLA

“Minoan.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Minoan. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Minoan,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Minoan.

Source: Minoan on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.