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kouros

noun
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kou·​ros | \ ˈkü-ˌrȯs How to pronounce kouros (audio) \
plural kouroi\ ˈkü-​(ˌ)rȯi How to pronounce kouros (audio) \

Definition of kouros

: an ancient Greek statue of a nude male youth standing with the left leg forward and arms at the sides

Examples of kouros in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This contraction of various facial muscles resonates across the entire arc of human history, from the grinning Greek kouros sculptures of 2,500 years ago right up to emoji, those little images that pepper our online communications. — Neil Steinberg, CNN, "How far would you go to be able to smile?," 13 June 2018 Now, with nary a word of explanation from the Getty, the kouros is gone. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Something's missing from the newly reinstalled antiquities collection at the Getty Villa," 19 Apr. 2018 Now, with nary a word of explanation from the Getty, the kouros is gone. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Something's missing from the newly reinstalled antiquities collection at the Getty Villa," 19 Apr. 2018 This contraction of various facial muscles resonates across the entire arc of human history, from the grinning Greek kouros sculptures of 2,500 years ago right up to emoji, those little images that pepper our online communications. — Neil Steinberg, CNN, "How far would you go to be able to smile?," 13 June 2018 Science is what had kept hopes alive that the kouros might be genuine. — Christopher Knight, latimes.com, "Something's missing from the newly reinstalled antiquities collection at the Getty Villa," 19 Apr. 2018 There are true glam items — an apparitionally perfect marble kouros; a cup attributed to the great Penthesilea Painter — but also homely ones: pottery shards with inscriptions, that kind of thing. — Holland Cotter, New York Times, "Review: ‘A World of Emotions’ in Greek Art Unmasks the Stony Faces," 23 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'kouros.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of kouros

1920, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for kouros

Greek kouros, koros boy — more at crescent

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Cite this Entry

“Kouros.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kouros. Accessed 6 Mar. 2021.

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More from Merriam-Webster on kouros

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kouros

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