Icarian
/ˌaɪˈkɛəriən/noun
Relating to Icarus or, figuratively, to a daring rise followed by a fall.
Did you know?The word comes from Icarus, the boy in Greek myth whose wax wings melted when he flew too close to the sun, turning his name into a permanent symbol of overreaching.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἴκαρος (Íkaros)
“Icarus, the mythic son of Daedalus”
Classical Latin
Latin
Icarus
“Icarus, borrowed from Greek as a proper name”
Late Latin / New Latin
Latin
Icarianus
“Pertaining to Icarus”
19th Century
English
Icarian
“Relating to Icarus; figuratively, idealistic, adventurous, or doomed by excess”
Modern English
English
Icarian
“Characterized by bold ambition, risky ascent, or tragic overreach”