xenia

X8E1N1I1A1
/ˈziːniə/

noun

The concept of hospitality to strangers.

OriginNew Latin xenia ← Ancient Greek ξενῐ́ᾱ (xenĭ́ā) ← Proto-Hellenic *ksénwos →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

xenia1

nounxenia (uncountable)
  1. uncountableclassical studiesThe concept of hospitality to strangers.
  2. uncountablebiologyThe effect that genes from pollen have on the endosperm.

xenia2

nounxenia (plural xenias)

plural xenias

  1. A coral of the genus Xenia of photosynthetic soft marine corals with many-branched arms which pulse and push water around the coral.

    [...] keep things like elegance corals, xenias and other soft corals and polyps that don't need maximum light levels.

    2001, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, volume 24
    1 more example

    Corals such as pulsing xenia will be fine if left above the waterline for short amounts of time during water [changes ... I'm fine with] xenias being exposed to air for a relatively brief period.

    2009, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, volume 57

xenia3

noun
  1. pluralplural of xenium

Xenia4

proper noun

alternative Ksenia · alternative Kseniya · alternative Xeniya

  1. A female given name from Ancient Greek of mainly historical use in English.
  2. A village in Illinois.
  3. An unincorporated community in Kansas.
  4. A city, the county seat of Greene County, Ohio.

Origin

xenia · noun

  1. Proto-Hellenic*ksénwos
  2. Ancient Greekξένϝος (xénwos)
  3. Ancient Greekξένος (xénos)
  4. Ancient Greekξενῐ́ᾱ (xenĭ́ā)
  5. New Latinxenia
  6. Englishxenia

Borrowed from New Latin xenia, from Ancient Greek ξενῐ́ᾱ (xenĭ́ā, “hospitality”).

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

xenia · noun

From Xenia.

Full word history & related roots →

Xenia · proper noun

  1. Ancient Greekξενία“hospitable”
  2. LatinXenia
  3. EnglishXenia

From the assumed name of a fifth-century saint venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church, Latin Xenia, from Ancient Greek ξενία (xenía, “hospitable”). Doublet of Oksana.

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

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Translations

Czech Xenie
  • Xeniefemale given name
Danish Xenia, Zenia
  • Xeniafemale given name
  • Zeniafemale given name
Finnish Senja
  • Senjafemale given name
German Xenia
  • Xeniafemale given name
Latvian Ksenija
  • Ksenijafemale given name
Polish Ksenia
  • Kseniafemale given name
Portuguese Xenia
  • Xeniafemale given name
Russian Ксе́ния
  • Ксе́ния (Ksénija)female given name
Slovak xénia
  • xéniaancient concept of hospitality
Spanish xenía
  • xeníaancient concept of hospitality
Ukrainian Ксе́нія, Окса́на
  • Ксе́нія (Ksénija)female given name
  • Окса́на (Oksána)female given name
Cite this entry
APA

xenia. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenia

MLA

“xenia.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenia. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “xenia,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/xenia.

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