Greco-Roman

American  

[gree-koh-roh-muhn, grek-oh-] / ˌgri koʊˈroʊ mən, ˌgrɛk oʊ- /

especially British, Graeco-Roman

adjective

1. of or having both Greek and Roman characteristics.

   the Greco-Roman influence.

2. pertaining to or designating a style of the fine arts developed in Rome or the Roman Empire from the middle of the 1st century b.c. to the early 4th century a.d., chiefly characterized by an apparent indebtedness to Greek forms or motifs modified by technological innovation, monumental scale, the combination of symbolic with narrative treatment of subject matter, and an emphasis on the commemorative aspect of a work of art.

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noun

1. a style of wrestling in which the contestants are forbidden to trip, tackle, and use holds below the waist.

Example Sentences

Could a Greco-Roman wrestler take down a boxer?

From Slate • Jun. 14, 2026

This is his huge reconstruction of the ancient Greco-Roman theater at Taormina.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

"This research teaches us about magic rituals in the Greco-Roman period in Egypt," Van Oppen said.

From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2024

Kesho was beaten by Azerbaijan's Hasrat Jafarov in the first round of the men's 67kg Greco-Roman wrestling on Wednesday.

From BBC • Aug. 9, 2024

The Greeks returned the favor: over the roughly one thousand years of Greco-Roman dominion of Egypt, we have no evidence of any Egyptian word making its way into common Greek usage.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro