Thermopylae

[ ther-mop-uh-lee ]

/ θərˈmɒp əˌli /

noun

a pass in E Greece, between the cliffs of Mt. Oeta and the Gulf of Lamia: Persian defeat of the Spartans 480 b.c.

Examples from the Web for thermopylae

Foreign-policy experts rush to compare Libya to Bosnia, the Punic Wars, Iraq, Kosovo, Thermopylae, and so forth.
The Horrible Libya Hypocrisies|Leslie H. Gelb|March 21, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Was the story nearing another failure--a tragedy dismal and complete as that of Thermopylae?
In the Days of Poor Richard|Irving Bacheller
The situation of the Spartans was now similar to that of their ancestors when they made their last stand at Thermopylae.
Stories from Thucydides|H. L. Havell
Well, we will all do our best, you may be sure; but since Thermopylae, I doubt if men have fought against longer odds.
A Jacobite Exile|G. A. Henty

There are hot springs at Thermopylae and other places, which are used for sanitary purposes.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 4|Various
Thermopylae had its messenger of defeat, but the Alamo had none.
Rolling Stones|O. Henry

British Dictionary definitions for thermopylae

Thermopylae

/ (θəˈmɒpəˌliː) /

noun

(in ancient Greece) a narrow pass between the mountains and the sea linking Locris and Thessaly: a defensible position on a traditional invasion route from N Greece; scene of a famous battle (480 bc) in which a greatly outnumbered Greek army under Leonidas fought to the death to delay the advance of the Persians during their attempted conquest of Greece

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

Word Origin and History for thermopylae

Thermopylae

from Greek thermos "hot" (see thermal) + pylai, plural of pyle "gate; mountain pass, entrance into a region" (see pylon). In reference to nearby hot sulfur springs. Often simply hai pylai "the gates."

Thermopylae

noun

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Examples from the Web for thermopylae

Thermopylae

noun

Thermopylae