Biosáint

Irish

Etymology

From Latin Bȳzantium, from Ancient Greek Βυζάντιον (Buzántion), from Βύζας (Búzas), the city's legendary founder.

Proper noun

an Bhiosáint f (genitive na Biosáinte)

1. Byzantium (the Byzantine Empire)

   ealaín na Biosáinte ― Byzantine art

   impire na Biosáinte ― Byzantine emperor

Usage notes

Used primarily in the genitive to mean “Byzantine” in the sense “belonging or pertaining to the Byzantine Empire”. When not modifying another noun, the full phrase Impireacht na Biosáinte or an Impireacht Bhiosántach is preferred.

Declension

Declension of Biosáintiam (fourth declension, no plural)

bare forms case singular nominative Biosáintiam vocative a Bhiosáintiam genitive Biosáintiam dative Biosáintiam forms with the definite article case singular nominative an Biosáintiam genitive an Bhiosáintiam dative leis an mBiosáintiam don Bhiosáintiam

Derived terms

• Impireacht na Biosáinte (“Byzantine Empire”)

Related terms

• Biosáintiam (“Byzantium (the city)”)
• Biosántach (“Byzantine”)

Mutation

Mutated forms of Biosáint

radical	lenition	eclipsis
Biosáint	Bhiosáint	mBiosáint

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Modern Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

• “Biosáint”, in The National Terminology Database for Irish, Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge, DCU and Foras na Gaeilge, 2006–2025