Boeotian

• Beotian (uncommon)
• Bœotian (archaic)

From Boeotia.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /biːˈəʊʃən/

Boeotian (comparative more Boeotian, superlative most Boeotian)

1. (historical) Pertaining to Boeotia.
   • 2002, Robert E. Gaebel, Cavalry Operations in the Ancient Greek World, University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 140:

     The only Boeotian troops that did continue to fight — the light infantry attached to the victorious cavalry — worked their way over to the Athenians on the right, where most of them were killed. The collapse of Boeotian morale at the death of Epaminondas and the abrupt cessation of fighting remain something of an enigma, especially since Pelopidas' men at Cynoscephalae fought even more vigorously to preserve the victory after he fell there.

2. (by extension) Stupid, foolish, dull-witted.
   • 1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society, published 1973, page 418:

     we will leave to thy sagacity to apply all this to the Boeotian writers, and to those authors who are their opposites.

   • 1885–1886, Henry James, The Bostonians , London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., published 16 February 1886, →OCLC, 1st book, page 6:

     Ransom reflected he might answer her that until five minutes ago he didn't know she existed; but he remembered that this was not the way in which a Southern gentleman spoke to ladies, and he contented himself with saying that he must condone his Bœotian ignorance […]

Boeotian (plural Boeotians)

1. (historical) An inhabitant or a resident of Boeotia.
2. (by extension) A dull or ignorant person.

Boeotian

1. (historical) A dialect of Ancient Greek spoken in Boeotia.

• Boeotia on Wikipedia.Wikipedia