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Greek

[ greek ]

adjective

  1. of or relating to Greece, the Greeks, or their language.
  2. pertaining to the Greek Orthodox Church.
  3. noting or pertaining to the alphabetic script derived from a Semitic form of writing, employing some letters that originally represented consonants for use as vowel sounds, which was used from about the beginning of the first millennium b.c. for the writing of Greek, and from which the Latin, Cyrillic, and other alphabets were derived.


noun

  1. a native or inhabitant of Greece.
  2. the language of the ancient Greeks and any of the languages that have developed from it, as Hellenistic Greek, Biblical Greek, the Koine, and Modern Greek. : Gk, Gk.
  3. Informal. anything unintelligible, as speech, writing, etc.:

    This contract is all Greek to me.

  4. a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.
  5. a person who belongs to a Greek-letter fraternity or sorority.
  6. Archaic: Usually Offensive. a cheater, especially one who cheats at cards.

Greek

/ ɡriːk /

noun

  1. the official language of Greece, constituting the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages See Ancient Greek Late Greek Medieval Greek Modern Greek
  2. a native or inhabitant of Greece or a descendant of such a native
  3. a member of the Greek Orthodox Church
  4. informal.
    anything incomprehensible (esp in the phrase it's ( all ) Greek to me )
  5. Greek meets Greek
    equals meet
“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


adjective

  1. denoting, relating to, or characteristic of Greece, the Greeks, or the Greek language; Hellenic
  2. of, relating to, or designating the Greek Orthodox Church
“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
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Sensitive Note

The noun Greek in its archaic meaning of “cheater” is usually perceived as insulting to or by Greeks.
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Derived Forms

  • ˈGreekness, noun
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Other Words From

  • Greekdom noun
  • Greekish adjective
  • anti-Greek adjective noun
  • half-Greek adjective
  • non-Greek adjective noun
  • pre-Greek adjective noun
  • pro-Greek adjective noun
  • pseudo-Greek adjective noun
  • quasi-Greek adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Greek1

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English Grēcas (plural) from Latin Graecī “the Greeks” (nominative plural of Graecus ) from Greek Graikoí, plural of Graikós Greek
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Word History and Origins

Origin of Greek1

from Old English Grēcas (plural), or Latin Graecus, from Greek Graikos
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Example Sentences

In Greek mythology, the species became associated with numerous gods.

The Greek embassy confirmed the death, which has barely registered by the international press.

That distant whirring sound you hear is a long-dead Greek physician spinning in his grave.

In 1984, gay men were not openly accepted in Southern Greek culture.

The root of the word irony is in the Greek eironeia, “liar.”

John of Damascus, an important Greek theologian of the eighth century, often cited by Thomas.

The Greek character will now become easy to decipher; and the evening papers may take King Otho both off the throne and on.

Just got a telegram saying that M. Venezelos has gained a big majority in the Greek Election.

The fact that the earth was globular in form was understood by the Greek men of science.

In Greek especially she was proficient, and Plato was to her more interesting than any story book.

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