athenitic

Athenitic is an English adjective that may be used to describe something pertaining to Athens, the capital of Greece, or to its historical and cultural milieu. In modern usage, the more common form is Athenian; athenitic is uncommon and is generally considered archaic or nonstandard outside specialized or historical contexts.

Etymology: The form appears to be derived from the name Athens with the suffix -itic, similar to other place-name adjectives formed with -itic. The standard demonym and adjective for Athens is Athēnian or Athenian, which makes athenitic a rare alternative.

Usage notes: If encountered, athenitic should be supported by context or a source that explicitly uses the term. For most contemporary writing, prefer Athenian when referring to people, culture, architecture, or political life associated with Athens. Athenitic may appear in older texts, in discussions of stylistic variants, or in attempts to emulate historical or formal diction, but it is not widely used today.

See also: Athenian, Athens, Greek language.