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Origin and history of Dorian

Dorian(adj.)

"of Doris or Doria," c. 1600, first in reference to the mode of ancient Greek music, literally "of Doris," from Greek Doris, the small district in central Greece, traditionally named for Doros, legendary ancestor of the Dorians, whose name is probably related to dōron "gift" (from PIE root *do- "to give").

From 1620s as "native or inhabitant of Doris." Dorian was the name the ancient Greeks gave to one of their four great divisions (the others being the Aeolians, Ionians, and Achaeans). In addition to architecture and music, The Dorians had their own calendar and dialect (see Doric) and the Dorian states included Sparta, Argos, Megara, and the island of Rhodes.

Entries linking to Dorian

"of or pertaining to the ancient Dorians," 1560s, see Dorian; in reference to the architectural order, 1610s. From 1837 In reference to the dialect of Sparta and other Dorian regions of ancient Greece. It was broad and rustic, hence the word also has been applied in English to northern and Scots dialects. Related: Doricism; Doricize.

fem. proper name, Greek, "Dorian woman" (see Dorian).

*dō-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to give."

It might form all or part of: add; anecdote; antidote; betray; condone; dacha; dado; data; date (n.1) "time;" dative; deodand; die (n.); donation; donative; donor; Dorian; Dorothy; dose; dowager; dower; dowry; edition; endow; Eudora; fedora; Isidore; mandate; Pandora; pardon; perdition; Polydorus; render; rent (n.1) "payment for use of property;" sacerdotal; samizdat; surrender; Theodore; Theodosia; tradition; traitor; treason; vend.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit dadati "gives," danam "offering, present;" Old Persian dadatuv "let him give;" Greek didomi, didonai, "to give, offer," dōron "gift;" Latin dare "to give, grant, offer," donum "gift;" Armenian tam "to give;" Old Church Slavonic dati "give," dani "tribute;" Lithuanian duoti "to give," duonis "gift;" Old Irish dan "gift, endowment, talent," Welsh dawn "gift."

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    Trends of Dorian

    adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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