Delphic oracle


noun
  1. the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, noted for giving ambiguous answers.

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British Dictionary definitions for Delphic oracle

Delphic oracle

noun
  1. the oracle of Apollo at Delphi that gave answers held by the ancient Greeks to be of great authority but also noted for their ambiguity: Related word: Pythian

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 Delphic oracle

Delphic oracle

The most famous oracle in Greece, and the location of a temple of Apollo; it was also known as the oracle of Delphi. At the oracle, a priestess went into a trance, supposedly breathed vapors from a cleft in the rocks, and delivered messages from Apollo to persons who sought her advice. These messages were often difficult to interpret.

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