lydia
n. uncountablen. an ancient kingdom in the western part of Turkey. It was famous for its great wealth and for being one of the first places to use gold and silver coins.
n. an Iron Age kingdom of western Asia Minor located east of ancient Ionia. When capitalised, it refers to the historical region known for its early adoption of minted coinage and its last king, Croesus.
Lydia was a powerful kingdom in ancient times.
Archaeologists studying the ruins of Sardis have uncovered many artifacts from the height of the kingdom of Lydia.
The historical significance of Lydia lies not only in its legendary wealth but also in its role as a cultural bridge between the Greek world and the Persian Empire.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Λυδία (Ludía, “the region of Lydia”), from λυδία (ludía, “beautiful one, noble one”), a feminine form of Λυδός (Ludós) (Lydus, from λυδός (ludós) (lydus)). The region of Lydia is said to be named for a king Λυδός (Ludós) (Lydus, from λυδός (ludós) (lydus)); the given name Lydia originally indicated ancestry or residence in the region of Lydia.
Proper noun; always capitalised when referring to the historical region or the female given name.