I. ˈmandərə̇n, -aan- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Portuguese mandarim, modification (influenced by mandar to command, from Latin mandare ) of Malay mĕntĕri, from Skt. mantrin counselor, from mantra counsel; akin to Sanskrit manyate he thinks — more at mandate , mind
1.
a. : a public official under the Chinese Empire of any of nine superior grades that were filled by individuals from the ranks of lesser officeholders that passed examinations in Chinese literary classics
b.
(1) : a pedantic official
(2) : bureaucrat
c. : a person of position and influence especially in intellectual or literary circles ; often : an elder and often traditionalist or reactionary member of such a circle
2. capitalized
a. : the primarily northern dialect of Chinese used by the court and the official classes under the Empire
b. : the chief dialect of China that is spoken in about four fifths of the country and has a southern variety centering about Nanking, a western variety centering about Chengtu, and a northern now standard variety centering about Peking
3. : a small grotesque seated image in Chinese costume with the head so fixed as to continue nodding when set in motion
4. also man·da·rine “
a. or mandarin tree or mandarin orange
[French mandarine, from Spanish mandarina, probably from mandarín mandarin, from Portuguese mandarim; probably from the color of a mandarin's robes]
(1) : a small spiny Chinese citrus tree ( Citrus reticulata ) having slender twigs and lanceolate leaves, small white flowers, and yellow to reddish orange loose-skinned fruits
(2) : any of several cultivated citrus trees that are selections or hybrids of the Chinese mandarin — see satsuma , tangerine
b. or mandarin orange
(1) : the fruit of a mandarin tree — called also kid-glove orange, tangerine
(2) : a yellow or pale orange mandarin — distinguished from tangerine
c. usually mandarine : a sweet liqueur flavored with the dried peel of mandarin
5. : mandarin porcelain
6.
a. : mandarin red
b. : mandarin orange 2
II. adjective
1. : of, relating to, or typical of a mandarin
mandarin graces
2. : resembling or styled after that of a mandarin
mandarin styles
3. of literary style or work : marked by polished ornate complexity in the use of language