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Alexander the Great

American  

noun

  1. 356–323 b.c., king of Macedonia 336–323: conqueror of Greek city-states and of the Persian empire from Asia Minor and Egypt to India.


Alexander the Great British  

noun

  1. 356–323 bc , king of Macedon, who conquered Greece (336), Egypt (331), and the Persian Empire (328), and founded Alexandria

"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

Alexander the Great Cultural  
  1. A ruler of Greece in the fourth century b.c. As a general, he conquered most of the ancient world, extending the civilization of Greece east to India. Alexander is said to have wept because there were no worlds left to conquer. In Alexander's youth, the philosopher Aristotle was his tutor.


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Before beginning his conquests, Alexander allegedly unloosed the Gordian knot by cutting through it. It was believed that the person who unfastened the Gordian knot would rule a vast territory in Asia. Alexander founded the city of Alexandria, which became a great center of learning in Egypt (see also Egypt).

Example Sentences

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This was the city on "one of the most important trade roads in the ancient world," where the first coin was minted and Alexander the Great visited, Uğurer said.

From Science Daily Jun. 25, 2026

In recent weeks, he’s been talking to other people about Napoleon and Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, comparing himself to the most consequential Western leaders in history.

From Slate May 7, 2026

Others claim he has called himself the “most powerful person to ever live,” and privately compares himself to Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar.

From Salon May 1, 2026

Of Alexander the Great that he acted on behalf of the Greek cities of Asia that he had freed from Persian rule?

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 10, 2026

They rose to power after the death of Alexander the Great brilliant military leader who had established an empire that extended eastward from Greece to India.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

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