Delphic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to Delphi.
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of or relating to Apollo, or to his temples or oracles.
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(often lowercase) oracular; obscure; ambiguous.
She was known for her Delphic pronouncements.
adjective
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of or relating to Delphi or its oracle or temple
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obscure or ambiguous
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Delphic
1590–1600; < Latin Delphicus < Greek Delphikós, equivalent to Delph ( oí ) Delphi + -ikos -ic
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.
What’s more, the histrionic grandeur she imbues the scene with overshadows the dramatic revelation that follows: the reading of the Delphic oracle’s judgment that she is indeed innocent, and Leontes is “a jealous tyrant.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The court’s fairly Delphic order retains a stay on the case pending its consideration of the merits, with oral arguments scheduled for the week of April 22.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 28, 2024
The movie, written and directed by Rian Johnson, is the anticipated follow-up to the 2019 hit starring Daniel Craig as the Delphic detective Benoit Blanc.
From New York Times ● Oct. 18, 2022
Pythagoras himself was said to have been inspired to study philosophy by the Delphic priestess Themistoclea.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 15, 2022
He had left his home, Corinth, where he was held to be the son of the King, Polybus, and the reason for his self-exile was another Delphic oracle.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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.
