dorian

/ˈdɔriən/
adjective
  1. Relating to the ancient Dorian people, their culture, or their dialect.
    • The Dorian invasion changed the political landscape of ancient Greece.
    • Dorian architecture is known for its simple, sturdy columns.
    • She studied Dorian pottery to learn about early Greek art.
  2. Relating to the Dorian mode in music.
    • He prefers the Dorian sound over the major scale for his improvisations.
    • The song's Dorian character gives it a mysterious, ancient feel.
    • The composer wrote a piece with a Dorian melody that felt both sad and hopeful.
noun
  1. A member of an ancient Greek people who settled in the Peloponnese and other parts of Greece, known for their military society and the Doric order of architecture.
    • Historians study the Dorians to understand the development of Spartan society.
    • The Dorians spoke a dialect of ancient Greek that differed from the Ionic dialect.
    • The Dorians invaded Greece around 1100 BCE and influenced the region's culture.
  2. A person from the region of Doris in ancient central Greece.
    • A Dorian from the small region of Doris might have traveled to other Greek city-states.
    • Many Dorians settled in colonies along the coast of Asia Minor.
    • The ancient writer described the customs of a typical Dorian.
  3. A mode in music (the Dorian mode) that has a minor sound with a raised sixth note, often used in folk and jazz music.
    • The guitarist played a solo using the Dorian scale over a minor chord.
    • Many traditional Irish folk songs are written in the Dorian mode.
    • In music theory class, we learned that the Dorian mode starts on the second note of a major scale.
What does "dorian" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean