Greece

[ grees ]

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). Capital: Athens.

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

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How to use Greece in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Greece

Greece

/ (ɡriːs) /


noun
  1. 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): Modern Greek name: Ellás Related adjective: Hellenic

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Greece

Greece

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

Notes for Greece

Greece is a member of NATO.

Notes for Greece

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

Notes for Greece

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

Notes for Greece

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

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.