Word
marian
Phoneticsmar·i·an
/ˈmɛɹiən/
Definitions
01relating to the Virgin Mary
adj. relating to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
adj. pertaining to the Virgin Mary, especially in the context of Christian theology or devotion.
“The church is famous for its beautiful Marian art and statues.”
“The theologian's latest treatise explores the development of Marian dogmas in the early medieval period.”
Formal · Technical
Usage
Capitalization is standard but not universal in academic contexts.
02relating to Queen Mary I
adj. relating to the time when Mary I was Queen of England.
adj. pertaining to the reign or era of Mary I of England, typically from 1553 to 1558.
“Historians study the Marian persecutions to understand religious tension in England.”
“The Marian exiles were Protestants who fled England during the reign of Mary Tudor to avoid religious persecution.”
Formal · Technical
03relating to Gaius Marius
adj. relating to the Roman general and leader Gaius Marius.
adj. pertaining to the Roman general and statesman Gaius Marius, particularly his military reforms.
“The Marian reforms changed how the Roman army was organized.”
“The Marian military reforms shifted the loyalty of Roman soldiers from the state to their individual generals.”
Formal · Technical
04loyalist to Mary, Queen of Scots
n. a person who supported Mary, Queen of Scots, during historical conflicts.
n. a supporter of Mary, Queen of Scots, especially during the civil conflicts following her deposition in 1567.
“The Marians fought against the forces of the young King James.”
“The civil war in Scotland pitted the King's Men against the Marians, who sought to restore the deposed queen to her throne.”
Archaic · Formal
Synonyms
Etymology
A variant of Marion, a medieval derivation of Mary, often also interpreted as a contraction of Mary and Ann, or as a variant of Mariana.
From Mary + -an.
From Mari + -an.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/marian