hoplite

[ hop-lahyt ]

noun

1. a heavily armed foot soldier of ancient Greece.

hoplite

/ ˈhɒplaɪt; hɒpˈlɪtɪk /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece) a heavily armed infantryman

Derived Forms

• hoplitic, adjective

Other Words From

• hop·lit·ic [hop-, lit, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoplite¹

1720–30; < Greek hoplī́tēs, equivalent to hópl ( on ) piece of armor, particularly the large shield + -ītēs -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of hoplite¹

C18: from Greek hoplitēs, from hoplon weapon, from hepein to prepare

Example Sentences

On a battlefield near Thebes in 371, Epaminondas broke the Spartan hoplite phalanx and killed one of its kings.

From Slate

He was equally renowned for his classroom style, in which he peppered nuanced readings of ancient texts with references to his beloved New York Yankees and inventive, sometimes comic exercises in class participation, like having students form a hoplite phalanx to demonstrate how Greek soldiers marched into combat.

From New York Times

Elliott came up with the idea of a therapy-dog television series called “Love Unleashed” and has found a production partner in Hoplite Entertainment.

From Seattle Times

“I have decided to close the Hoplite managed funds and return third-party capital as soon as possible,” Lykouretzos said in the letter seen by Reuters.

From Reuters

In 2018, when a late year stock market sell-off wiped away gains at many big hedge funds, Hoplite’s return was flat, outperforming the Standard & Poor’s 500, which fell roughly 5%.

From Reuters