Greece

American  

[grees] / gris /

noun

1. Ancient Greek Hellas.  Modern Greek Ellas.  a republic in southern Europe at the south end of the Balkan Peninsula. 50,147 sq. mi. (129,880 sq. km). Athens.

2. a city in western New York State, a suburb of Rochester on the south shore of Lake Ontario.

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Greece British  

/ ɡriːs /

noun

1. Modern Greek name: Ellás.  a republic in SE Europe, occupying the S part of the Balkan Peninsula and many islands in the Ionian and Aegean Seas; site of two of Europe's earliest civilizations (the Minoan and Mycenaean); in the classical era divided into many small independent city-states, the most important being Athens and Sparta; part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires; passed under Turkish rule in the late Middle Ages; became an independent kingdom in 1827; taken over by a military junta (1967–74); the monarchy was abolished in 1973; became a republic in 1975; a member of the European Union. Official language: Greek. Official religion: Eastern (Greek) Orthodox. Currency: euro. Capital: Athens. Pop: 10 772 967 (2013 est). Area: 131 944 sq km (50 944 sq miles)

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Greece Cultural  

1. Republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Athens (see also Athens).

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Discover More

Greece is a member of NATO.

It is known for its production of grapes, olives, and olive oil.

Ancient Greek culture, particularly as developed in Athens, was the principal source of Western civilization.

Tension and fighting between Greece and Turkey has continued for hundreds of years.

Compare meaning

How does greece compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Macedonia vs. Greece

Example Sentences

After relentless Russian attacks on Ukraine's oil refineries, the latter now heavily relies on fuel imports - largely via Poland, Greece, Lithuania and Turkey.

From BBC

Producers say the resulting fall in the livestock population and milk production is threatening feta, one of Greece's premier exports.

From Barron's

Greece, along with Italy, receives a large number of undocumented migrants via the Mediterranean, often from nearby Turkey and northern Africa.

From BBC

Twenty-two migrants hoping to reach Europe from North Africa have died off the coast of Greece after six days at sea in a rubber boat, survivors told the Greek coastguard Saturday.

From Barron's

The UK government has launched a consultation on banning social media for under-16s, while Denmark, Greece, Spain and Ireland are also considering similar moves: Spain and Ireland for under-16s, and Denmark and Greece for under-15s.

From BBC