Spartan
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Sparta or its citizens
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(sometimes not capital) very strict or austere
a Spartan upbringing
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(sometimes not capital) possessing courage and resolve
noun
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a citizen of Sparta
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(sometimes not capital) a disciplined or brave person
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a Canadian variety of eating apple
Synonym Usage
See austere.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Spartan
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin Spartānus, equivalent to Spart ( a ) Sparta (< Doric Greek Spártā ) + -ānus -an
Explanation
A spartan existence is kind of like being a monk. Your room is bare, you live simply and eat sparingly, and your sheets are probably scratchy. In ancient Greece, there were two great city states: Athens and Sparta. Athens had the artists, the good food, the great parties. Sparta had the warriors — the guys who went to bed early and drilled all day. They lived in bare rooms and didn’t get sick days or time off. A spartan life is a life of discipline and self-denial. Some people like it like that. Go figure.
Vocabulary lists containing spartan
100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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'Tis A Gift To Be Simple: Words For National Simplicity Day
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Prisoner B-3087
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“The Spartans might be . . . viewed as parasites, feeding off the forced labor of their helots,” he opines.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
Liberated from farming and fearful of helot revolts, the Spartans developed their austere lifestyle and rigorous program of military training.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
“The only freedom the Spartans were interested in was their own.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
Sylmar 5, Morse 4: Matthew Torres struck out nine and Rickee Luevano had a home run and triple for the Spartans.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
‘The Spartans didn’t chain Ares because they wanted his spirit to stay in their city.’
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
