pyrrhic
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See also: Pyrrhic
English
Etymology
From Latin pyrrhichius, from Ancient Greek πυρρίχιος (purrhíkhios), from πυρρίχη (purrhíkhē, “war dance”).
Pronunciation
Adjective
pyrrhic (not comparable)
- (prosody) Of or characterized by pyrrhics (metrical feet with two short syllables).
- Relating to Pyrrhus, a Macedonian king, or some of his costly victories he had while fighting Rome.
- Alternative letter-case form of Pyrrhic (“achieved at too great a cost”)
- 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 199:
- Huwawa is slain; the victors triumph, but the victory is to be a pyrrhic one for Gilgamesh, for the gods have met in counsel and decreed that Enkidu should die.
- 2015, Dag Heward-Mills, A Good General, Dag Heward-Mills, →ISBN:
- In the ministry, it is important to avoid pyrrhic victories. What really is a pyrrhic victory? A pyrrhic victory is a victory that comes with such devastating cost that ultimately nullifies the victory that has been achieved.
Translations
Of or characterized by pyrrhics
Noun
pyrrhic (plural pyrrhics)