adj. & n.
--adj.
1. of Byzantium or the E. Roman Empire.
2 (of a political situation etc.): a extremely complicated. b inflexible. c carried on by underhand methods.
3 Archit. & Painting of a highly decorated style developed in the Eastern Empire.
--n. a citizen of Byzantium or the E. Roman Empire.
Derivatives:
Byzantinism n. Byzantinist n.
Etymology: F byzantin or L Byzantinus f. Byzantium, later Constantinople and now Istanbul