Byzantine Empire

/ˈbɪzəntiːn ˈɛmpaɪə(ɹ)/

proper noun

An ancient Greek empire in Southeastern Europe and Western Asia; the predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages with its capital at Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), originally known as Byzantium, which fell in 1453.

Meanings

proper nounthe Byzantine Empire
  1. historicalAn ancient Greek empire in Southeastern Europe and Western Asia; the predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages with its capital at Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), originally known as Byzantium, which fell in 1453.

    Synonyms: Byzantium, Eastern Roman Empire, Rum, Romania, Medieval Roman Empire

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounAn ancient Greek empire in Southeastern Europe and Western Asia; the predominantly Greek-speaking continuation of the Roman Empire during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages with its capital at Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), originally known as Byzantium, which fell in 1453.

Origin

  1. LatinImperium Byzantinum
  2. EnglishByzantine Empire

Calque of Latin Imperium Byzantinum.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Ῥωμανία
  • Ῥωμανία (Rhōmanía)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Arabic إِمْبِرَاطُورِيَّة بِيزَنْطِيَّة
  • إِمْبِرَاطُورِيَّة بِيزَنْطِيَّة (ʔimbirāṭuriyya bīzanṭiyya)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Basque Bizantziar Inperioa
  • Bizantziar InperioaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Bulgarian Византи́йска импе́рия
  • Византи́йска импе́рия (Vizantíjska impérija)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Catalan Imperi Bizantí
  • Imperi BizantíGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Chinese Mandarin 拜占庭帝國
  • 拜占庭帝國 (Bàizhàntíng Dìguó)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Czech Byzantská říše, Byzanc
  • Byzantská říšeGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • ByzancGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Danish Byzantinske Rige, Østromerske Rige
  • Byzantinske RigeGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Østromerske RigeGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Dutch Byzantijnse Keizerrijk
  • Byzantijnse KeizerrijkGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Esperanto Bizanca imperio
  • Bizanca imperioGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Estonian Bütsants, Ida-Rooma riik
  • BütsantsGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Ida-Rooma riikGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Ida-Rooma keisririikGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Finnish Bysantin valtakunta
  • Bysantin valtakuntaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
French Empire byzantin
  • Empire byzantinGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
German Byzanz, Byzantinisches Reich
  • ByzanzGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Byzantinisches ReichGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Oströmisches ReichGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Greek Βασιλεία Ρωμαίων, Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία
  • Βασιλεία Ρωμαίων (Vasileía Romaíon)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία (Vyzantiní Aftokratoría)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Ανατολική Ρωμαϊκή Αυτοκρατορία (Anatolikí Romaïkí Aftokratoría)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Hebrew האימפריה הביזנטית
  • האימפריה הביזנטית (ha-imperyá ha-bizantít)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Hindi बाइज़ेंटाइन साम्राज्य
  • बाइज़ेंटाइन साम्राज्य (bāizẽṭāin sāmrājya)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Hungarian Bizánci Birodalom
  • Bizánci BirodalomGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Icelandic Býsansríkið, Austrómverska keisaradæmið
  • BýsansríkiðGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Austrómverska keisaradæmiðGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • MiklagarðsríkiðGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Indonesian Kekaisaran Romawi Timur
  • Kekaisaran Romawi TimurGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Irish Impireacht Bhiosántach
  • Impireacht BhiosántachGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Italian Impero bizantino
  • Impero bizantinoGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Japanese 東ローマ帝国, ビザンツ帝国
  • 東ローマ帝国 (Higashi Rōma teikoku)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • ビザンツ帝国 (Bizantsu teikoku)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • ビザンティン帝国 (Bizantin teikoku)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Korean 비잔티움 제국, 동로마 제국
  • 비잔티움 제국 (Bijantium jeguk)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • 동로마 제국 (Dongnoma jeguk)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Latin Imperium Romanum Orientale, Imperium Byzantinum
  • Imperium Romanum OrientaleGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Imperium ByzantinumGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • BȳzantiumGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Latvian Bizantija, Austrumromas impērija
  • BizantijaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Austrumromas impērijaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Lithuanian Bizantija, Rytų Romos imperija
  • BizantijaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Rytų Romos imperijaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Bizantijos imperijaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Norwegian Bokmål Østromerriket
  • ØstromerriketGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Persian بیزانس, امپراتوری بیزانس
  • بیزانس (bizâns)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • امپراتوری بیزانس (emperâturi-ye bizâns)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • امپراتوری روم شرقی (emperâturi-ye rum-e šarqi)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Polish Bizancjum, Cesarstwo Bizantyńskie
  • BizancjumGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Cesarstwo BizantyńskieGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Cesarstwo BizantyjskieGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Portuguese Império Bizantino
  • Império BizantinoGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Romanian Imperiul Bizantin
  • Imperiul BizantinGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Russian Византи́йская импе́рия, Византи́я
  • Византи́йская импе́рия (Vizantíjskaja impérija)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Византи́я (Vizantíja)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Восто́чно-Ри́мская импе́рия (Vostóčno-Rímskaja impérija)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Scottish Gaelic An t-Impireachd Bheasantian
  • An t-Impireachd BheasantianGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Slovak Byzantská ríša, Byzancia
  • Byzantská ríšaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • ByzanciaGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • ByzantskoGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Spanish Imperio bizantino
  • Imperio bizantinoGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Swahili Ufalme wa Byzantini
  • Ufalme wa ByzantiniGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Swedish Bysans, Bysantinska riket
  • BysansGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Bysantinska riketGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Tagalog Silangang Imperyong Romano
  • Silangang Imperyong RomanoGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Thai จักรวรรดิไบแซนไทน์
  • จักรวรรดิไบแซนไทน์ (jàk-grà-wàt-bai-sɛɛn-tai)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Turkish Bizans İmparatorluğu, Doğu Roma İmparatorluğu
  • Bizans İmparatorluğuGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Doğu Roma İmparatorluğuGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Ukrainian Візанті́йська імпе́рія, Візанті́я
  • Візанті́йська імпе́рія (Vizantíjsʹka impérija)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
  • Візанті́я (Vizantíja)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Vietnamese Đế quốc Đông La Mã
  • Đế quốc Đông La MãGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Welsh Ymerodraeth Bysantiwm
  • Ymerodraeth BysantiwmGreek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Yiddish ביזאַנטישע אימפּעריע
  • ביזאַנטישע אימפּעריע (bizantishe imperye)Greek-speaking empire in the Eastern Mediterranean region
Cite this entry
APA

Byzantine Empire. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Byzantine%20Empire

MLA

“Byzantine Empire.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Byzantine%20Empire. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Byzantine Empire,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Byzantine%20Empire.

Source: Byzantine Empire on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.