bɪˈzæntaɪn adj. & n. --adj. 1 of Byzantium or
the E.
Roman Empire. 2 (of a
political situation etc.): a extremely complicated. b
inflexible. c carried on by
underhand methods. 3 Archit. &
Painting of a
highly decorated
style developed in the
Eastern Empire. --n. a
citizen of Byzantium or the E. Roman Empire. øøByzantinism n. Byzantinist n. [F byzantin or L Byzantinus f. Byzantium, later Constantinople
and now Istanbul]