▪ I. † Hercuˈlanean, a.1 Obs. rare.
[f. L. Herculāne-us, f. Herculēs: see -an.]
= Herculean; in quot., humorously, ‘very strong’.
| 1604 Dekker 1st Pt. Honest Wh. Wks. 1873 II. 28 Here's most Herculanian tobacco. |
▪ II. Herculanean, a.2
(ˌhɜːkjuːˈleɪnɪən)
[f. L. Herculāne-us belonging to Herculāneum + -an.]
Of or pertaining to Herculaneum, a town in Campania, which was buried with Pompeii in the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 a.d., and has in modern times been partly excavated.
| 1780 Cowper Progr. Err. 398 Models of Herculanean pots and pans. 1819 Wordsw. September 1819, ix, O ye, who patiently explore The wreck of Herculanean lore. |