Spartan

[ spahr-tn ]

adjective

1. Also Spar·tan·ic [] of or relating to Sparta or its people.
2. (usually lowercase) suggestive of the ancient Spartans; sternly disciplined and rigorously simple, frugal, or austere.
3. (usually lowercase) brave; undaunted.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Sparta.
2. a person of Spartan characteristics.

Spartan

/ ˈspɑːtən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Sparta or its citizens
2. sometimes not capital very strict or austere

   a Spartan upbringing

3. sometimes not capital possessing courage and resolve

noun

1. a citizen of Sparta
2. sometimes not capital a disciplined or brave person
3. a Canadian variety of eating apple

Derived Forms

• ˈSpartanism, noun

Other Words From

• Spartan·ism noun
• Spartan·ly Spar·tani·cal·ly adverb
• non-Spartan adjective noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Spartan¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin Spartānus, equivalent to Spart ( a ) Sparta (< Doric Greek Spártā ) + -ānus -an

Synonym Study

See austere.

Example Sentences

Through it all, Master Chief will be pursued by "a sadistic Spartan killer named Jega 'Rdomnai," who seems to come from the Covenant's red-tinted Banished faction.

From Ars Technica

Xerxes then wiped out the Spartan force and did exactly that.

From The Daily Beast

We are reminded of his humility and penchant for Spartan training conditions—traits that are of course essential to his monk-like image, an image that certain purists want to see maintained at all costs.

From Outside Online

Of the four behavioral rankings at the time — “Novice,” “Brown,” “Gold” and “Spartan,” the highest — he was repeatedly ranked as “Novice,” the lowest.

From ProPublica

Despite being Windows 10's default browser, Spartan never achieved significant marketshare, let alone the crushing dominance once enjoyed by Internet Explorer.

From Ars Technica

Bullough was a third-team all-American and a cornerstone of the Spartan defense.

From The Daily Beast

Having raised up a Spartan fleet to destroy Athens, they then opened their coffers to Athens and helped it rebuild.

From The Daily Beast

Spartan admirals quickly trained themselves for a new kind of war, and one of them, Lysander, mastered it very quickly.

From The Daily Beast

Their sense of security was badly shocked when Spartan ships, fueled by Persian cash, first attacked their military convoys.

From The Daily Beast

There are sad, Spartan stores, endless rundown espresso cafes, and just a handful of attractive restaurants.

From The Daily Beast

And, though it was a shock, there was only one thing I thought of and that was what a little Spartan my sister was.

From Project Gutenberg

Spartan Rhea was from Missouri, and belonged to a family intensely Southern in their convictions.

From Project Gutenberg

With a Spartan-like resolve she at last put every letter and keepsake into the sacrificial flames.

From Project Gutenberg

The Spartan boy did not even make a grimace when the wolf bit him beneath his frock, and these were all Spartan boys.

From Project Gutenberg

That was not the true Gordon, but rather the grafting of a new character on the original stem of Spartan simplicity and heroism.

From Project Gutenberg