—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.
Derivatives:
Byzantinism n. Byzantinist n.
Etymology: F byzantin or L Byzantinus f. Byzantium, later Constantinople and now Istanbul
Useful english dictionary. 2012.