CADMIAN, a. Relating to Cadmus, a reputed prince of Thebes, who introduced into Greece, sixteen simple letters of the alphabet. These are called Cadmean letters.
This personage may be a fabulous being, or if such a person ever existed, he may have been named from his knowledge of letters, for in the ancient Persian, Kadeem signified language; Ir. Cuadham, to tell or relate; ceadach, talkative; ceadal, a story. Or he may have been name from his eminence or antiquity, kadam, to precede; Arabic, to excel; whence the sense of priority and antiquity; or his name may denote a man from the East.
