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acropolises

 - 4 dictionary results

a⋅crop⋅o⋅lis

  [uh-krop-uh-lis]
Use acropolises in a Sentence
–noun
1. the citadel or high fortified area of an ancient Greek city.
2. the Acropolis, the citadel of Athens and the site of the Parthenon.
Origin:
1655–65; < Gk akrópolis. See acro-, -polis

Related forms:
ac⋅ro⋅pol⋅i⋅tan  [ak-ruh-pol-i-tn] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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a·crop·o·lis   (ə-krŏp'ə-lĭs)   
n.  

  1. The fortified height or citadel of an ancient Greek city.

  2. A raised area holding a building or cluster of buildings, especially in a pre-Columbian city.


[Greek akropolis : akron, top; see acromegaly + polis, city; see pelə-3 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

Acropolis [(uh-krop-uh-lis)]

The fortified high point of ancient Athens. Once the center of Athenian life, the Acropolis is now the site of famous ruins, including the Parthenon. In Greek, the word means “high” (acro) “city” (polis).

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

acropolis 
1662, from Gk. akropolis "citadel" (especially that of Athens), from akros "highest, upper" (see acrid) + polis "city" (see policy (1)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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