Greece

American  

[grees] / gris /

noun

1. Ancient Greek Hellas.  Modern Greek Ellas.  a republic in southern Europe at the south end of the Balkan Peninsula. 50,147 sq. mi. (129,880 sq. km). Athens.

2. a city in western New York State, a suburb of Rochester on the south shore of Lake Ontario.

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Greece British  

/ ɡriːs /

noun

1. Modern Greek name: Ellás.  a republic in SE Europe, occupying the S part of the Balkan Peninsula and many islands in the Ionian and Aegean Seas; site of two of Europe's earliest civilizations (the Minoan and Mycenaean); in the classical era divided into many small independent city-states, the most important being Athens and Sparta; part of the Roman and Byzantine Empires; passed under Turkish rule in the late Middle Ages; became an independent kingdom in 1827; taken over by a military junta (1967–74); the monarchy was abolished in 1973; became a republic in 1975; a member of the European Union. Official language: Greek. Official religion: Eastern (Greek) Orthodox. Currency: euro. Capital: Athens. Pop: 10 772 967 (2013 est). Area: 131 944 sq km (50 944 sq miles)

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Greece Cultural  

1. Republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Athens (see also Athens).

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Discover More

Greece is a member of NATO.

It is known for its production of grapes, olives, and olive oil.

Ancient Greek culture, particularly as developed in Athens, was the principal source of Western civilization.

Tension and fighting between Greece and Turkey has continued for hundreds of years.

Compare meaning

How does greece compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Macedonia vs. Greece

Example Sentences

On Nov. 4, the same ship departed with a similar quantity of refined products for a refinery in Corinth, Greece, owned by the Motor Oil Group.

From The Wall Street Journal

Four hikers who went missing on Christmas Day have been found dead after being buried by an avalanche in the snow-covered Vardousia Mountains in central Greece.

From BBC

Mayor Panagiotis Plakentas fears what will happen to the town of Ptolemaida and the surrounding region when the last of the brown coal power plants in northern Greece close next year.

From Barron's

The sea between Turkey and Greece and Libya to Greece are popular routes for undocumented migrants trying to reach Europe.

From Barron's

Since then, the French leader has churned through four prime ministers, while France’s borrowing costs have risen to levels familiar to Europe’s debt-laden periphery, surpassing those of Greece and Italy.

From The Wall Street Journal