Cad-mē'an or Cad'mi-an, a.

a. [Lat. Cadmeus, Gr. Καδμείος, from Cadmus, Κάδμος, which name most probably denotes a man from the East, from Heb. qedem, former, front, east. Cf. Ar. gidmun, antiquity, gidman, formerly.] Relating to Cadmus, a reputed prince of Thebes, who introduced into Greece the sixteen simple letters of the alphabet—α, β, γ, δ, ε, ι, κ, λ, μ, ν, ο, π, ρ, σ, τ, υ. These are called Cadmean letters. Bryant.