Standard Lemma guide

Lessepsian

adj · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /leɪˈsɛp.sɪ.ən/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Pertaining to the French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps, who designed the Suez Canal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable, obsolete, rare

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of or relating to organisms that migrate from the Red Sea to the eastern Mediterranean Sea by means of the Suez Canal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Qualifier: marine biology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Any species that migrated in this manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: marine biology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Lesseps, the surname of Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805–1894) + -ian (suffix forming adjectives or nouns meaning ‘belonging to, relating to, or like’).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Greek: λεσεψιανός (lesepsianós) — pertaining to the French diplomat Ferdinand de Lesseps
  • French: lessepsien — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal
  • Greek: λεσεψιανός (lesepsianós) — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal
  • Italian: lessepsiano — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal
  • Northern Kurdish: lessepsî — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal
  • Portuguese: lessepsiano — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal
  • Spanish: lessepsiano — of or relating to organisms that migrate by means of the Suez Canal