marathon

¹

[mar-uh-thon, -thuhn]

noun

1. a footrace or wheelchair race over a course measuring 26 miles 385 yards (42 kilometers 195 meters).

2. any long-distance race.

3. any contest, event, or the like, of great, or greater than normal, length or duration or requiring exceptional endurance.

   a dance marathon;

   a sales marathon.

Marathon

²

[mar-uh-thon]

noun

1. a plain in SE Greece, in Attica: the Athenians defeated the Persians here 490 b.c.

2. an ancient village that is near this plain.

3. Classical Mythology.,  a son of Epopeus and the father of Corinthus.

marathon

¹

/ ˈmærəθən /

noun

1. a race on foot of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometres): an event in the modern Olympics

2. 1. any long or arduous task, assignment, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a marathon effort

Marathon

²

/ ˈmærəθən /

noun

1. a plain in Attica northeast of Athens: site of a victory of the Athenians and Plataeans over the Persians (490 _bc )

Word History and Origins

Origin of marathon¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; allusion to Pheidippides' 26-mile (42-kilometer) run from Marathon to Athens to carry news of the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 b.c.

Word History and Origins

Origin of marathon¹

referring to the feat of the messenger who ran more than 20 miles from Marathon to Athens to bring the news of victory in 490 _bc

Example Sentences

“Someone like a marathon runner, they have a goal and that takes a lot of sacrifice and hard work,” she said.

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This time, three months after the 5 hours 29 minutes of Paris, Alcaraz had knocked off Sinner without needing a marathon.

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“I was going to,” says Cam, “but there was a ‘Golden Girls’ marathon on.”

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Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged Tuesday that the federal immigration-enforcement efforts could run headlong into the Chicago marathon, which is expected to bring more than 53,000 runners to the city this weekend.

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He plunged into a series of marathon meetings with local officials, business leaders, and pro- and anti-independence groups.

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When To Use

What does marathon mean?

A marathon is a 26.22-mile (42.2-kilometer) long-distance race. Technically, the exact length of a marathon is 26 miles 385 yards (42 kilometers 195 meters). But the length is mostly commonly stated as 26.2 miles.Marathons are most commonly running races, but some people complete marathons in wheelchairs. Marathon courses are typically on roadways, often those in or around a city.The marathon is an event in the Summer Olympic Games. Major marathons are also held internationally in many major cities. Prominent events include the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon, and the London Marathon.A marathon runner can be called a marathoner.A running race of 13.1 miles is known as a half-marathon. The term ultramarathon refers to a race of 50 miles or more.The word marathon is also often used in a more general way to refer to a contest or event that takes a particularly long time and requires endurance, such as a dance marathon. A movie marathon involves several movies played consecutively. Sometimes, the word is used in a more figurative way to refer to a task or undertaking that takes a long time and requires patience, as in Be patient—learning karate is a marathon, not a sprint.Example: I’ve always wanted to run a marathon, so I started training today.