Parthenon

American  

[pahr-thuh-non, -nuhn] / ˈpɑr θəˌnɒn, -nən /

noun

1. the temple of Athena Parthenos on the Acropolis at Athens, completed c438 b.c. by Ictinus and Callicrates and decorated by Phidias: regarded as the finest Doric temple.

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Parthenon British  

/ -nən, ˈpɑːθəˌnɒn /

noun

1. the temple on the Acropolis in Athens built in the 5th century _bc and regarded as the finest example of the Greek Doric order

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Parthenon Cultural  

1. The central building on the Acropolis in Athens (see also Athens), now partly in ruins. Built in ancient times as a temple, it served as a model for much of Greek and Roman architecture.

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Compare meaning

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

• acropolis vs. Parthenon

Example Sentences

David Stuttard puts this episode to good effect in “Hubris: Pericles, the Parthenon, and the Invention of Athens,” the third of his popular, though judiciously researched, histories of Athens during the fifth century B.C.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

The tax refunds are running about 14% higher than last year, which translates into a gain of roughly $290 per household, according to Greg Daco, chief economist at EY Parthenon.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Borglum believed the American political system was the apotheosis of human civilization, and he wanted his sculpture to stand alongside the Parthenon and pyramids as testaments to grand civilizations and cultures.

From Slate • Mar. 13, 2025

During a lull in heavy rain late Friday, a torchbearer lit a cauldron in front of the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple, on the citadel that dominates the Athens skyline and is Greece’s top tourist draw.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2024

She sat on her bunk, using one of Daedalus’s 3-D-rendering programs to study a model of the Parthenon in Athens.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan