Hannibal

American  

[han-uh-buhl] / ˈhæn ə bəl /

noun

1. 247–183 b.c., Carthaginian general who crossed the Alps and invaded Italy (son of Hamilcar Barca).

2. a port in NE Missouri, on the Mississippi: Mark Twain's boyhood home.

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Hannibal British  

/ ˈhænɪbəl /

noun

1. 247–182 _bc , Carthaginian general; son of Hamilcar Barca. He commanded the Carthaginian army in the Second Punic War (218–201). After capturing Sagunto in Spain, he invaded Italy (218), crossing the Alps with an army of about 40 000 men and defeating the Romans at Trasimene (217) and Cannae (216). In 203 he was recalled to defend Carthage and was defeated by Scipio at Zama (202). He was later forced into exile and committed suicide to avoid capture

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Hannibal Cultural  

1. A general from the ancient city of Carthage. During the second of the Punic Wars between Carthage and Rome, Hannibal took an army of more than 100,000, supported by elephants, from Spain into Italy in an effort to conquer Rome. The army had to cross the Alps, and this troop movement is still regarded as one of the greatest in history. Hannibal won several victories on this campaign but was not able to take Rome.

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Compare meaning

How does hannibal compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Hannibal vs. Scipio

Example Sentences

“It goes on to say the speaker predicted the triumphant election of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin in next month’s election ‘by a splendid popular majority.’”

From Literature

For military buffs, this pincer move was perfected by Hannibal.

From The Wall Street Journal

TV legend Bryan Fuller, known for his cult classics “Pushing Daisies” and “Hannibal,” just earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination for first feature.

From Los Angeles Times

But to win the war, the Romans needed either to remove Hannibal from Italy, where he remained in the field, or to invade Carthage.

From The Wall Street Journal

Hannibal Gaddafi, the youngest son of the deposed Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, has been released by Lebanon after nearly 10 years in detention without trial.

From BBC