Olympian

Hello teachers,

First, I'd like to express my gratitude to all you forum members for your help with my English.
We nonnative English speakers owe a debt of gratitude to you native English speakers, you have helped us a lot.
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Olympian: pertaining to the twelve gods of the ancient Greek pantheon whose abode was Mt. Olympus; majestic; incomparably superior; pertaining to the Olympic games. Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, is located in northern Greece (Macedonia). It is sometimes used synonymously with “Heaven” or “the Sky.”

1. A turn of the road brought us to a landscape of Olympian beauty.
2. An Olympian disregard for everyday matters does not become a person running for office.

Source: 601 Words you need to know, Fourth Edition, by Murray Bromberg and Julius Liebb, unit 1, lesson 6, Mythology, page 27.

WR Dictionary says (Olympian) as a noun has three meanings:

a god of Olympus
an inhabitant or native of ancient Olympia
chiefly US a competitor in the Olympic Games

Source: http://www.wordreference.com/definition/olympian

But in the sentence number 2 the word (Olympian) as a noun refers to none of the meanings mentioned in the dictionary. What does Olympian mean in the sentence number 2?

Many thanks in advance.

The Olympian gods regarded themselves as superior to humans-- they were literally "above" them, living as they did in the sky (or on the top of Mount Olympus).
So Olympian (adjective) disregard means a lofty/arrogant disregard.

In sentence #2 it is used as an adjective, with meaning #2 from the WR dictionary:

2. majestic or godlike in manner or bearing

Oh it does fit, metaphorically, "a god of Olympus" meaning, in this case, an abundance of egotism.

Still I am confused. If in sentence 2 it is used as an adjective then what's article (an) before (olympian)?

An olympian disregard.......

(I mean if here olympian is an adjective then after that there must be a noun. Where is that noun?)

The noun is "disregard".

Again from the WR dictionary:

lack of attention or respect

sb70012 said:

Still I am confused. If in sentence 2 it is used as an adjective then what's article (an) before (olympian)?

An olympian disregard.......

(I mean if here olympian is an adjective then after that there must be a noun. Where is that noun?)

The noun is "disregard." "Olympian" is used as an adjective.

Follow the rules on when to use "a" and "an."

It's "a train," but it's "an early train."

2. An Olympian disregard for everyday matters does not become a person running for office.
In the sentence number 2 the word Olympian as a noun is used as an adjective. What does Olympian mean in sentence number 2?

You're right; none of the definitions from either source you mention seem to fit the sentence. But there are other excellent online dictionaries. In The Free Dictionary, for example, there are additional definitions for the word; among them, you'll find "majestic in manner" and "superior to mundane affairs".

The sentence then says that in a person running for public office, an attitude of superiority to the concerns of ordinary people is not a good idea.

Does that make sense?

Sorry still I am confused.

Because Parla said: Olympian disregard = an attitude of superiority

And E2efour said: Olympian disregard = a lofty disregard

Are they same definitions? In my opinion these two answers don't fit well together.

Guys after reading your posts several times I understood it. Sorry if sometimes I understand late.

E2efour, Sdgraham, Parla, Waltern, thanks so much for answering.