klepht

[ kleft ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a Greek or Albanian brigand, exalted in the war of Greek independence as a patriotic robber; guerrilla.

klepht

/ klɛft /

any of the Greeks who fled to the mountains after the 15th-century Turkish conquest of Greece and whose descendants survived as brigands into the 19th century

Origin of klepht¹

1810–20; < Modern Greek kléphtēs, variant of Modern Greek, Greek kléptēs thief, rogue; kleptomania

Origin of klepht¹

C19: from Modern Greek klephtēs, from Greek kleptēs thief

They say Rhangos is going to join the Turks, as many other klepht leaders have done.

Meantime, the services of the notorious Klepht Achilles have been engaged.

He has taken the leadership of the coryphes, and now executes a dance which is called the "Klepht."

Whoever was not a klepht was the victim of some official extortioner.

April 19, 2024tortuous

[tawr-choo-uhs ]

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