pyrrhic

1
[ pir-ik ]

adjective
  1. consisting of two short or unaccented syllables.

  2. composed of or pertaining to pyrrhics.

noun
  1. Also called dibrach. a pyrrhic foot.

Origin of pyrrhic

1
1620–30; <Latin pyrrhichius<Greek pyrrhíchios pertaining to the pyrrhíchēpyrrhic2

Words Nearby pyrrhic

Other definitions for pyrrhic (2 of 3)

pyrrhic2
[ pir-ik ]

noun
  1. an ancient Greek warlike dance in which the motions of actual warfare were imitated.

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or denoting this dance.

Origin of pyrrhic

2
1590–1600; <Latin pyrrhicha<Greek pyrrhíchē a dance; said to be named after Pyrrhichus, the inventor

Other definitions for Pyrrhic (3 of 3)

Pyrrhic
[ pir-ik ]

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or resembling Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, or his costly victory.

Origin of Pyrrhic

3
First recorded in 1880–85; Pyrrh(us) + -ic

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How to use pyrrhic in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pyrrhic (1 of 2)

pyrrhic1

/ (ˈpɪrɪk) prosody /


noun
  1. a metrical foot of two short or unstressed syllables

adjective
  1. of or relating to such a metrical foot

  2. (of poetry) composed in pyrrhics

Origin of pyrrhic

1
C16: via Latin, from Greek purrhikhē, traditionally said to be named after its inventor Purrhikhos

British Dictionary definitions for pyrrhic (2 of 2)

pyrrhic2

/ (ˈpɪrɪk) /


noun
  1. a war dance of ancient Greece

adjective
  1. of or relating to this dance

Origin of pyrrhic

2
C17: Latin from Greek purrhikhios belonging to the purrhikhē war dance performed in armour; see pyrrhic 1

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