Definitions for pyrrhic
ˈpɪr ɪkpyrrhic

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. pyrrhic, dibrachnoun

   a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed syllables

2. pyrrhicadjective

   an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare

3. pyrrhicadjective

   of or relating to a war dance of ancient Greece

   "pyrrhic dance movements"

4. pyrrhicadjective

   of or relating to or containing a metrical foot of two unstressed syllables

   "pyrrhic verses"

5. pyrrhicadjective

   of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits (especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans)

   "a Pyrrhic victory"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. pyrrhicnoun

   An Ancient Greek war dance.

2. pyrrhicnoun

   A metric foot with two short or unaccented syllables.

3. pyrrhicadjective

   Of or characterized by pyrrhics.

4. pyrrhicadjective

   Relating to Pyrrhus, a Macedonian king, or some of his costly victories he had while fighting Rome.

5. Pyrrhicadjective

   achieved at excessive cost

6. Etymology: From Pyrrhus (318-272 BC), a king of Epirus whose forces sustained heavy losses in defeating the Romans

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Pyrrhic

   A pyrrhic (; Greek: πυρρίχιος pyrrichios, from πυρρίχη pyrrichē) is a metrical foot used in formal poetry. It consists of two unaccented, short syllables. It is also known as a dibrach.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. pyrrhic

   Pyrrhic is an adjective that describes a victory or achievement that is gained at a great cost, often causing so much harm or damage to the victor that it negates any sense of achievement or advantage. It comes from King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose victory in a battle against Rome in 280 BC cost him a significant portion of his forces. Pyrrhic can also refer to a metrical foot in poetry that has two short or unaccented syllables.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Pyrrhicadjective

   of or pertaining to an ancient Greek martial dance

2. Pyrrhicadjective

   of or pertaining to a pyrrhic, or to pyrrhics; containing pyrrhic; as, a pyrrhic verse

3. Pyrrhicnoun

   an ancient Greek martial dance, to the accompaniment of the flute, its time being very quick

4. Pyrrhicnoun

   a foot consisting of two short syllables

5. Etymology: [L. pyrrhichius, Gr. belonging to the (sc. ) a kind of war dance.]

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Pyrrhic

   A pyrrhic is a metrical foot used in formal poetry. It consists of two unaccented, short syllables. It is also known as a dibrach. Tennyson used pyrrhics and spondees quite frequently, for example, in In Memoriam: When the blood creeps and the nerves prick. "When the" and "and the" in the second line may be considered as pyrrhics. Pyrrhics alone are not used to construct an entire poem due to the monotonous effect. Poe observed that many experts rejected it from English metrics and concurred: The pyrrhic is rightfully dismissed. Its existence in either ancient or modern rhythm is purely chimerical, and the insisting on so perplexing a nonentity as a foot of two short syllables, affords, perhaps, the best evidence of the gross irrationality and subservience to authority which characterise our Prosody.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Pyrrhic

   pir′ik, n. a kind of war-dance among the ancient Greeks: a poetical foot consisting of two short syllables.—adj. pertaining to the dance or to the poetical foot.—n. Pyr′rhicist, one who dances the pyrrhic. [Gr. pyrrhichē (orchēsis), a kind of war-dance, so called from Pyrrhichos, the inventor.]

2. Pyrrhic

   pir′ik, adj. of or pertaining to Pyrrhus, king of Epirus (318-272 B.C.).—Pyrrhic victory, a victory gained at too great a cost, in allusion to Pyrrhus's exclamation after his victory of Asculum (279), 'Another such victory and we are lost!'

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

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How to pronounce pyrrhic?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say pyrrhic in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of pyrrhic in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of pyrrhic in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7

Examples of pyrrhic in a Sentence

1. Sonia Sotomayor:

   It's hard to see how impoverished people, unfamiliar with the workings of this government, of this country, are going to find lawyers, it seems like a pyrrhic offering to say that an individual hearing is of any benefit to them.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=pyrrhic
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Pyrrhic
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrrhic
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pyrrhic
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=pyrrhic
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=pyrrhic
8. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=pyrrhic