Cimmerii
/sɪˈmɪr.i.aɪ/noun
An ancient people mentioned in Greek literature, often associated with darkness and the far north or west.
Did you know?Homer places the Cimmerii in a sunless region at the edge of the world, and later writers turned their name into a literary symbol of perpetual darkness.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Κιμμέριοι (Kimmerioi)
“A people said to live in a misty, sunless land at the edges of the world”
Classical Latin
Latin
Cimmerii
“The Cimmerians, borrowed from Greek historical and literary usage”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Cimmerius / Cimmerii
“Used in learned writing and poetry as an image of deep darkness or remoteness”
Middle English
English
Cimmerian
“Dark, gloomy, or relating to the Cimmerians”
Modern English
English
Cimmerian
“Extremely dark or gloomy; also relating to the ancient Cimmerians”