Melitaeanadj.

Brit.

/mɛlᵻˈtiːən/, U.S.

/ˌmɛləˈtiən/

Forms: 1600s Melitean, 1600s– Melitaean.

Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin Melitaeus , -an suffix.

Etymology: < classical Latin Melitaeus ( < Melita , the name of an island in the Adriatic, now called Mljet, with which dogs were associated in antiquity, after ancient Greek Μελιταῖος) + -an suffix. Compare Melitan adj.Classical Latin Melita (ancient Greek Μελίτη ) could also denote the island of Malta (compare Malta n.). Since Malta was better known than Mljet, this seems to have led to confusion about the origin of the dog breed. The breed known as Maltese (see Maltese n. 3b) may well be the same as the Melitaean, and some references to Melitaean dogs (see especially quot. a1610) may have understood Melitaean to mean ‘of Malta’. There seems to have been confusion even in Greek and Roman sources as to the origin of the dogs. According to Pliny ( Nat. Hist. 3. 152, reporting Callimachus) the breed originated in Mljet; according to Strabo ( Geogr. 6. 2. 11) it comes from Malta. The dogs are also mentioned by Aristotle ( Hist. Anim. 612^b10) and Theophrastus ( Characters 21), among others, but without precise geographical specification of the place of origin.

Now rare.

Of or belonging to the island of Melita or Mljet, esp. designating a breed of small dog associated with the island. Cf. Melitan adj.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > other types of dog > [adjective] > toy

puppetly1576

Melitan1600

Melitaean1607

toy1806

miniature1903

1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 161 Of the Mimicke or Getvlian Dogge, and the little Melitæan Dogges of Gentlewomen.

a1610 J. Healey in tr. Theophrastus Characters To Rdr. sig. I10^v, in tr. Epictetus Manuall (1616) A Melitaean Plant..whether these little Melitaean diminutive dogges came from the Iland in the Affricke Sea, or that other in the Sicilian, it matters not much.

1730 J. Smedley Poems Several Occasions 123 You'd soon obey this pious Call; Dear, Melitæan Animal.

1879 C. T. Lewis & C. Short Lat. Dict. Melitaeus, of or belonging to the Dalmatian island Melita, Melitæan.

This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	melitaean
释义	Melitaeanadj. Brit. /mɛlᵻˈtiːən/, U.S. /ˌmɛləˈtiən/ Forms: 1600s Melitean, 1600s– Melitaean. Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin Melitaeus , -an suffix. Etymology: < classical Latin Melitaeus ( < Melita , the name of an island in the Adriatic, now called Mljet, with which dogs were associated in antiquity, after ancient Greek Μελιταῖος) + -an suffix. Compare Melitan adj.Classical Latin Melita (ancient Greek Μελίτη ) could also denote the island of Malta (compare Malta n.). Since Malta was better known than Mljet, this seems to have led to confusion about the origin of the dog breed. The breed known as Maltese (see Maltese n. 3b) may well be the same as the Melitaean, and some references to Melitaean dogs (see especially quot. a1610) may have understood Melitaean to mean ‘of Malta’. There seems to have been confusion even in Greek and Roman sources as to the origin of the dogs. According to Pliny ( Nat. Hist. 3. 152, reporting Callimachus) the breed originated in Mljet; according to Strabo ( Geogr. 6. 2. 11) it comes from Malta. The dogs are also mentioned by Aristotle ( Hist. Anim. 612^b10) and Theophrastus ( Characters 21), among others, but without precise geographical specification of the place of origin. Now rare. Of or belonging to the island of Melita or Mljet, esp. designating a breed of small dog associated with the island. Cf. Melitan adj. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > mammals > group Unguiculata or clawed mammal > family Canidae > other types of dog > [adjective] > toy puppetly1576 Melitan1600 Melitaean1607 toy1806 miniature1903 1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 161 Of the Mimicke or Getvlian Dogge, and the little Melitæan Dogges of Gentlewomen. a1610 J. Healey in tr. Theophrastus Characters To Rdr. sig. I10^v, in tr. Epictetus Manuall (1616) A Melitaean Plant..whether these little Melitaean diminutive dogges came from the Iland in the Affricke Sea, or that other in the Sicilian, it matters not much. 1730 J. Smedley Poems Several Occasions 123 You'd soon obey this pious Call; Dear, Melitæan Animal. 1879 C. T. Lewis & C. Short Lat. Dict. Melitaeus, of or belonging to the Dalmatian island Melita, Melitæan. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2001; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.1607
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