I. -ēən adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Libya, ancient territory variously conceived in northern Africa (from Latin Libye, Libya, from Greek Libyē ) + English -an
1. : of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Libya
2. : of, relating to, or characteristic of the ancient Libyans
3.
[ Libya, country in northern Africa + English -an ]
: of, relating to, or characteristic of modern Libya or its people
II. noun
( -s )
Usage: usually capitalized
1.
a. : a member of any of the peoples indigenous in historical ancient times to the region immediately west of Egypt
b. : a member of any of the peoples that in historical ancient times were indigenous to No. Africa west from Egypt to the Atlantic
2. in some ethnological classifications : a member of a branch of the Mediterranean subrace comprising some or all of the Libyans and those peoples (as the Berbers) believed to be descended from them without substantial mixture with other stocks and also comprising the people believed to have been the principal racial stock of prehistoric Egypt and perhaps of adjoining parts of prehistoric northeastern Africa
3. : a Berber language of ancient No. Africa
4. : a native or inhabitant of modern Libya