bizantino

Byzantine

adjective bee-sahn-TEE-noh Rare

Origin: From Bizancio (Byzantium), the ancient name of Constantinople.

Also means

overly complicated

Usage Note

Bizantino literally means relating to Byzantium or the Byzantine Empire. In everyday Spanish it has acquired a figurative sense of 'needlessly convoluted or pedantic,' as in una discusión bizantina ('a pointlessly complex argument'). This figurative use is common in journalism and academic writing.

Examples

"El debate se convirtió en una discusión bizantina."

Natural Translation

The debate became a needlessly convoluted discussion.

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