▪ I. diadem, n.
(ˈdaɪədɛm)
[a. F. dyademe (13th c. in Godef.), mod.F. diadème, ad. L. diadēma, Gr. διάδηµα band or fillet, esp. the regal fillet of Persian kings, adopted by Alexander of Macedon and his successors; f. διαδέειν to bind round, f. δια- across, through + δέειν to bind.]
1. A crown; an ornamental cincture or covering for the head, worn as a symbol of honour, esp. of royal dignity. (In quot. 1290, applied to the aureola or crown of a martyr. Now chiefly poetic and rhetorical.)
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 167/2125 Al round it orn a-boute is heued, ase it were a dyademe. 1382 Wyclif Rev. xii. 3 And lo! a greet reed dragoun, hauynge seuene heedes..and in the heedis of him seuen diademes. 1415 Hoccleve To Sir J. Oldcastle 232 O Constantyn..O cristen Emperour..Wel was byset on thee thy diadeeme! 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 807 In habite royall with Scepter in hande and Diademe on his head. 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iv. 100 A vice of kings..That from a shelfe, the precious Diadem stole, And put it in his Pocket. 1785 Wilkins Bhagvat 69, I wish to behold thee with the diadem on thy head. a 1839 Praed Poems (1864) II. 433 Many a gem Fit for a Sultan's diadem. |
b. spec. A band or fillet of cloth, plain or adorned with jewels, worn round the head, originally by Oriental monarchs, as a badge of royalty. (The original sense of the word in Gr. and L.)
| 1579–80 North Plutarch (1612) 518 He had sent her his Diademe or royall band and called her by the name and title of Queene. 1656 Cowley Pind. Odes, Praise of Pindar ii. Notes, Diadems (which were used by the ancient Kings..for the mark of Royalty)..were Bindings of white Ribband about the Head, set and adorn'd with precious stones. 1776 Gibbon Decl. & F. I. 388 Diocletian..ventured to assume the diadem..It was no more than a broad white fillet set with pearls, which encircled the emperor's head. 1882 Farrar Early Chr. II. 226 note, A diadem..this badge of Oriental autocracy—a purple silken fillet embroidered with pearls. |
c. A wreath of leaves or flowers worn round the head.
| 1530 Palsgr. 213/2 Diademe of laurell, laureole. 1883 Myra's Jrnl. Aug., Diadems of orange-flowers have been more worn lately. |
d. Her. (See quots.)
| 1727–51 Chambers Cycl., Diadem, in heraldry, is applied to certain circles, or rims, serving to bind or inclose the crowns of sovereign princes; and to bear the globe, and cross, or the flower-de-luces, for their crest. 1787 Porny Elem. Heraldry Gloss., Diadem..is now frequently used to signify the Circles, which close on the top of the Crowns of Sovereigns, and support the Mound. |
2. fig. The authority or dignity symbolized by a diadem; royal or imperial dignity, sovereignty; = crown n. 3.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 22357 (Cott.) Þan sal he fare to iursalem..and yeild up þare his diademe. a 1400–50 Alexander 3240 Don aȝayne þe dignite, þe diademe of Pers, And all þe riȝtis of þi rewme resayue as before. 1548 Hall Chron. 224 That the Erle of Richemond, should once attein to the Crowne and diademe of the realme. 1602 W. Fulbecke Pandectes 10 Such things can not be seuered from the princely Diadem. 1789 Belsham Ess. I. xviii. 348 A diadem could not..raise the personal character of the Protector. 1821 Byron Mar. Fal. i. ii. 173 Old Dandolo Refused the diadem of all the Cæsars. |
3. fig. A distinction or adornment conferring glory or dignity, figured as a crown.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 7 b, They shall receyue of the hande of god the crowne of glory and diademe of honour. 1605 Camden Rem. 3 One of the fairest..Plumes in the triumphant Diademe of the Roman Empire. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan III. 370 The name of Yankee was a reproach here; it was a diadem there. |
4. transf. Something that surmounts and adorns like a crown; a crowning ornament.
| 1781 Cowper Retirement 82 The crescent moon, the diadem of night, Stars countless, each in his appointed place, Fast anchored. 1817 Byron Manfred i. i. 64 Mont Blanc is the monarch of mountains; They crown'd him long ago On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, With a diadem of snow. 1845–75 Mackay Seven Angels of Lyre iii, A rainbow is her diadem. |
5. Short for diadem-monkey.
6. Surg. In Lat. form diadema: a bandage for the head.
| 1811 in Hooper Med. Dict. |
7. attrib. and Comb., as diadem-shaped adj.; diadem-lemur, a species of Indris; diadem-monkey, Cercopithecus diadematus; diadem-spider, the garden spider, Epeira diadema.
| 1851 D. Wilson Preh. Ann. (1863) II. iii. v. 143 Diadem, and coronet shaped ornaments. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. (1858) 67 The large diadem spider, which spins so strong a web. |
▪ II. ˈdiadem, v.
[f. prec. n.]
trans. To place a diadem upon; to adorn with or as with a diadem; to crown. Chiefly in pa. pple.: cf. next.
| 1362 Langl. P. Pl. A. iii. 268 Dauid schal ben dyademed and daunten hem alle. 1738 Pope Epil. to Sat. ii. 232 When diadem'd with rays divine..Her Priestless Muse forbids the Good to die. 1777 Sir W. Jones Turkish Ode Poems 91 And every stalk is diadem'd with flowers. 1826 H. H. Wilson tr. Uttara Ráma Cheritra 46 Hills, whose towering peaks Are diademed with clouds. 1858 Neale Bernard de M. (1865) 13 The Judge that comes in mercy..To diadem the right. |
Hence diademed (ˈdaɪədɛmd) ppl. a., wearing or adorned with a diadem; crowned.
| 1790 J. Williams Shrove Tuesday (1794) 9 Where Despots diadem'd and toga'd stride. 1805 Southey in Ann. Rev. III. 556 One of the three diademed princes. 1840 Carlyle Heroes iii. (1891) 79 Is he not obeyed, worshipped after his sort, as all the Tiaraed and Diademed of the world..could not be? 1892 Athenæum 19 Mar. 380/1 Draped diademed bust of the empress. |