a. and sb. [f. Libya + -AN.]
A. adj. Of or pertaining to Libya, the ancient name of a large country in North Africa. By some philologists used as a designation for the Berber language, or for the group of mod. Hamitic langs. to which Berber belongs. B. sb. a. An inhabitant of Libya. b. The Libyan language.
c. 1620. T. Robinson, M. Magd., 12. The Thyme of Hybla, and the Libyan flore.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 277. Whom Gentiles Ammon call and Libyan Jove. Ibid., XII. 634. A Comet … with torrid heat, And vapour as the Libyan Air adust.
1832. Tennyson, Dream Fair Women, 145. We drank the Libyan sun to sleep.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 61. The Libyan prince, Psammetichus.
1886. Sheldon, trans. Flaubert’s Salammbô, 11. A Libyan of colossal stature.
So † Libyc (occas. Lybic) [ad. Gr. Λιβυκός]. † Libycan adjs. Also Libyo-, comb. form = Lybian and (something else).
a. 1541. Wyatt, Song of Iopas, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 93. The wanderyng Troian knight, whom Iunos wrath with stormes did force in Libyk sands to light.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ii. 22. On lybicke Ocean wide.
1607. Topsell, Four-f. Beasts (1658), 28. Æmonian bears,… night-ranging, Lybican, menacing.
1618. Bolton, Florus, III. vi. (1636), 192. Gellius was set to waft upon the Tuscan Sea,… Lentulus upon the Libyc.
1654. Vilvain, Epit. Ess., 175 b. Which dwelt in utmost Lybic coasts.
1890. D. G. Brinton, Races & Peoples, iv. 106. This is the typical appearance … of the ancient Libyans, and is still preserved … in Morocco and Algiers; hence I shall call it the Libyo-Teutonic type.
