Lesbos

American

[lez-bos, -bohs, les-vaws] / ˈlɛz bɒs, -boʊs, ˈlɛs vɔs /

noun

Mytilene.

Lesbos British

/ ˈlɛzbɒs /

noun

Former name: Mytilene. Modern Greek name: Lésvos. an island in the E Aegean, off the NW coast of Turkey: a centre of lyric poetry, led by Alcaeus and Sappho (6th century _bc ); annexed to Greece in 1913. Chief town: Mytilene. Pop: 90 642 (2001). Area: 1630 sq km (630 sq miles)

"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

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.

A group of aid workers who were put on trial in Greece for rescuing migrants on the island of Lesbos have been acquitted of all charges.

From BBC • Jan. 15, 2026

The verdict came almost a month after the start of their trial at a court on Lesbos, ending a legal ordeal for the activists since 2018.

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

The trial on the eastern island of Lesbos on espionage and other charges had attracted international scrutiny, with rights groups accusing Greece of targeting the defendants for their humanitarian work.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 30, 2024

After insulting her way to yet another exile, Anna decamps for a commune on the Greek island of Lesbos.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 14, 2023

“Methymnæan hand”: Arion was born at Methymna, in Lesbos.

From The Browning Cyclop?dia A Guide to the Study of the Works of Robert Browning by Berdoe, Edward

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023