cadmean letters
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The sixteen simple Greek letters said, in Greek mythology, to have been introduced by Cadmus (tf.v.) from Phoenicia.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “cadmean letters” mean?
The sixteen simple Greek letters said, in Greek mythology, to have been introduced by Cadmus (tf.v.) from Phoenicia.
Is “cadmean letters” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.