Japonian

From Japon +‎ -ian.^[1]

Japonian (comparative more Japonian, superlative most Japonian)

1. (obsolete) Synonym of Japanese (“of or relating to Japan”).
   • 1613, Samuel Purchas, “[Asia.] Of the Islands of Iapon, and Their Religions.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimage. Or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages and Places Discouered, from the Creation vnto this Present. […], London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, book V (Of the East-Indies: And of the Seas and Ilands about Asia, with Their Religions), page 443:

     This appeared at Frenoiama, a famous Vniuerſitie of thoſe Bonzij, nine miles from Meaco, wherein eight hundred yeares paſt, a Iaponian King had erected three thouſand and eight hundred Temples, with houſes adioined for the Bonzij: […]

   • 1687, [John Dryden], “The Second Part”, in The Hind and the Panther. A Poem, in Three Parts, 2nd edition, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 64:

     Induſtrious of the needle and the chart / They run full ſail to their Japponian Mart: […]

   • 1738, Curious Relations: or, The Entertaining Correspondent […], volume II, London: […] [F]or G. Smith, […] and sold by T[homas] Cooper, […], page 278; quoted in “† Japo·nian, a. and sb.”, in James A[ugustus] H[enry] Murray [et al.], editors, A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volumes V (H–K), London: Clarendon Press, 1884–1928, →OCLC, page 553, column 2:

     After his death the Japonian Army withdrew from Coria.

Japonian (plural Japonians)

1. (obsolete) Synonym of Japanese (“a native or inhabitant of Japan”).
   • 1600, Richard Hakluyt, “The Second Testimonie Containing the Huge Leuies and Preparations of Quabacondono, […]”, in The Third and Last Volume of the Voyages, Nauigations, Traffiques, and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralfe Newberie, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, page 857:

     [T]he ſayd gunnes beeing able to hurt but a ſmall diſtance off, and the Iaponians being furniſhed with bꝛazen oꝛdinance vnknowen vnto the Corayans, they pꝛeſently dꝛaue them from their walles, […]

   • 1638, Francis [Bacon], translated by W[illiam] R[awley], “Length and Shortnesse of Life in Man. The Historie.”, in History Naturall and Experimentall, of Life and Death. Or Of the Prolongation of Life. […], London: […] Iohn Haviland for William Lee, and Humphrey Mosley, →OCLC, paragraph 25, page 141:

     And the Iaponians, are longer liv’d, than the Chineſes; […]

   • 1679, [Charles Cotton], The Confinement. A Poem, […], London: […] [F]or C. C. […] by J. C., →OCLC, page 32:

     His Neighbours ſlight him, and there’s not a Man, / But looks as ſtrange, as a Japonian.