[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/minoan/)

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# minoan

adjective (Minoan); noun (a Minoan, Minoans)

«minoan» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (history) To do with the Minoans, an ancient Bronze Age civilisation on the Greek island of Crete, from about 3000 to 1100 BC. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#m1)
2. (noun) A person from that civilisation. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#m2)

### In the lessons

In history lessons on Ancient Greece, the Minoans built great palaces like Knossos, painted colourful wall pictures (frescoes) of dolphins and bull-leaping, and traded by sea. Their name comes from the legendary King Minos, who in myth kept the Minotaur in a labyrinth. Their writing, Linear A, has still not been deciphered. Phrases: «Minoan civilisation», «Minoan palace», «Minoan art».

### Examples

- The Minoans lived on the island of Crete. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x1)
- The Minoan palace of Knossos had hundreds of rooms. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x2)
- Minoan frescoes show dolphins and young people leaping over bulls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x3)
- The Minoan civilisation is named after the legendary King Minos. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x4)
- Nobody can yet read the Minoan writing called Linear A. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x5)
- A huge volcanic eruption on Thera hurt Minoan trade. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x6)
- Minoan sailors traded with Egypt. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x7)
- The Minoans were one of the first great civilisations in Europe. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/#x8)

### Note

Written with a capital M because it comes from a name. Pronounced «mi-NOH-an». King Minos and the Minotaur are myths; the Minoan palaces are real archaeology. Not a maths word, but BC dates count backwards (3000 BC is earlier than 1100 BC).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «minoan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/minoan/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«minoan» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/minoan.html) on Mova free.