Word Study
pyrrhic
WORDNET DICTIONARY
Noun pyrrhic has 2 senses
- pyrrhic(n = noun.communication) dibrach - a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed syllables; Array is a kind of foot, metrical foot, metrical unit
- pyrrhic(n = noun.act) Array - an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare; Array is a kind of ceremonial dance, ritual dance, ritual dancing
Derived form adjective pyrrhic2
Derived form adjective pyrrhic1
Adjective pyrrhic has 3 senses
- pyrrhic(a = adj.pert) Array - of or relating to a war dance of ancient Greece; "pyrrhic dance movements" Derived form noun pyrrhic2
- pyrrhic(a = adj.pert) Array - of or relating to or containing a metrical foot of two unstressed syllables; "pyrrhic verses" Derived form noun pyrrhic1
- pyrrhic(a = adj.pert) Array - of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits (especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans); "a Pyrrhic victory" Derived form noun pyrrhus1
CIDE DICTIONARY
pyrrhic, a. [L. pyrrhichius, Gr. belonging to the (sc. ) a kind of war dance.].
- Of or pertaining to an ancient Greek martial dance. Byron. [1913 Webster]
- Of or pertaining to a pyrrhic, or to pyrrhics; containing pyrrhic; as, a pyrrhic verse. [1913 Webster]
pyrrhic, n.
- An ancient Greek martial dance, to the accompaniment of the flute, its time being very quick. [1913 Webster]
- A foot consisting of two short syllables. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
pyrrhic, adj. (of a victory) won at too great a cost to be of use to the victor.
pyrrhic, n. & adj.
--n. a metrical foot of two short or unaccented syllables.
--adj. written in or based on pyrrhics.
--n. a metrical foot of two short or unaccented syllables.
--adj. written in or based on pyrrhics.
Etymology
L pyrrhichius f. Gk purrhikhios (pous) pyrrhic (foot)
THESAURUS
pyrrhic
Alexandrine, accent, accentuation, amphibrach, amphimacer, anacrusis, anapest, antispast, antispastic, arsis, bacchius, beat, cadence, cadenced, caesura, catalexis, chloriamb, chloriambus, colon, counterpoint, cretic, dactyl, dactylic, dactylic hexameter, diaeresis, dimeter, dipody, dochmiac, elegiac, elegiac couplet, elegiac pentameter, emphasis, epitrite, feminine caesura, foot, heptameter, heptapody, heroic couplet, hexameter, hexapody, iamb, iambic, iambic pentameter, ictus, ionic, jingle, lilt, masculine caesura, measure, measured, meter, metric, metrical accent, metrical foot, metrical group, metrical unit, metron, molossus, mora, movement, numbers, paeon, pentameter, pentapody, period, proceleusmatic, prosodic, quantity, rhythm, rhythmic, scanning, spondaic, spondee, sprung rhythm, stress, swing, syzygy, tetrameter, tetrapody, tetraseme, thesis, tribrach, trimeter, tripody, triseme, trochaic, trochee
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