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Sappho

American  
[saf-oh] / ˈsæf oʊ /

noun

  1. c620–c565 b.c., Greek poet, born in Lesbos.


Sappho British  
/ ˈsæfəʊ /

noun

  1. 6th century bc , Greek lyric poetess of Lesbos

"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

Sappho Cultural  
  1. An ancient Greek poet known for her love lyrics.


Discover More

The word lesbian is derived from the island of Lesbos, the birthplace of Sappho, who was a homosexual.

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.

Koyel Ghosh, who uses "they" and "them" as personal pronouns, is the managing trustee of Sappho for Equality, the first Lesbian-Bisexual-Transmasculine people rights collective in eastern India that started two decades ago.

From BBC • Jul. 27, 2023

Sappho is an apt avatar for Schwartz’s project: The totalizing excess of queer art can overwhelm you with laughter or longing, blotting out the painful experiences it sometimes describes.

From Washington Post • Mar. 1, 2023

And what does it mean to be Sappho?

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2023

The collection of stories, poetry and plays will include writings by Homer, Shakespeare and Sappho, among others — and will come marked with an 18+ sticker to indicate only adults should read it.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 15, 2021

Persephone was the radiant maiden of the spring and the summertime, whose light step upon the dry, brown hillside was enough to make it fresh and blooming, as Sappho writes,

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

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