Cadmean

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cadmean \Cad*me"an\ (k[a^]d*m[=e]"an), a. [L. Cadmeus, Gr.
     Kadmei^os, from Ka`dmos (L. Cadmus), which name perhaps means
     lit. a man from the East; cf. Heb. qedem east.]
     Of or pertaining to Cadmus, a fabulous prince of Thebes, who
     was said to have introduced into Greece the sixteen simple
     letters of the alphabet -- [alpha], [beta], [gamma], [delta],


     [epsilon], [iota], [kappa], [lambda], [mu], [nu], [omicron],
     [pi], [rho], [sigma], [tau], [upsilon]. These are called
     Cadmean letters.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Cadmean victory}, a victory that damages the victors as much
        as the vanquished; probably referring to the battle in
        which the soldiers who sprang from the dragon's teeth sown
        by Cadmus slew each other. Similar to a {Pyhrric victory}.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]