Koine
name, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A linguistic variety that has developed in supraregional contact between speakers of various interrelated dialects, typically in such a way that features shared by several dialects prevail and those of limited distribution are avoided.
- 2 a common language used by speakers of different languages wordnet
- 3 A lingua franca.
"If a dominant language was spoken in the area of such trade routes, then this dominant language became the ‘interlanguage’, as it is called. Such an interlanguage, or koiné, is a simplified dialect with which speakers of two or more quite different dialects communicate with one another."
- 4 a Greek dialect that flourished under the Roman Empire wordnet
- 1 The “common” Greek language that developed and flourished between 300 B.C.E. and 300 C.E. (the time of the Roman Empire), and from which Modern Greek descended. It was based on the Attic and Ionian dialects of Ancient Greek.
Example
More examples"The version of the language they spoke, known as Koine Greek, was based on the dialect of Athens."
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κοινή (Koinḗ), from ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος (hē koinḕ diálektos, “the common dialect”), from κοινός (koinós, “shared, common, public, general, ordinary, usual”). Doublet of koinon.
Borrowed from Ancient Greek κοινή (koinḗ), feminine form of κοινός (koinós, “common, general”). Doublet of koinon.
Related phrases
More for "koine"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.