Parthenon

noun

Par·​the·​non ˈpär-thə-ˌnän How to pronounce Parthenon (audio)
: a Doric temple of Athena built on the acropolis at Athens in the fifth century b.c.

Examples of Parthenon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 1836, a fire destroyed at least seven thousand models, but, rather than abandon the requirement, the Patent Office doubled down, securing congressional funding to reconstruct the models and laying the foundations for a truly monumental building, with a façade modelled after the Parthenon. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 The modern Acropolis Museum, nestled into the foothills of the complex, offers context into the monument thanks to its impressive glass windows that span floor to ceiling with views over the Parthenon. Anastasia Miari, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Mar. 2024 In the news — The British Museum is under fire for lending its gallery housing the Parthenon Marbles, which Greece has long called to be repatriated to Athens, to London Fashion Week for a designer’s runway show. Ashley Lee, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2024 As Sarah pointed out in her review, the decision to stage it in the room that houses the Elgin Marbles—the controversial sculptures that once decorated the Parthenon and whose repatriation has led to diplomatic tensions between the British and Greek governments—lent it a weightier significance. Sarah Mower, Vogue, 20 Feb. 2024 The 1897 Parthenon replica sits just outside of downtown Nashville in the 132-acre Centennial Park. Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 31 Jan. 2024 But Gregory Daco, chief economist for EY Parthenon, said the current situation is unlikely to increase the 3.4 percent annual U.S. inflation rate by more than 0.1 percentage points. Evan Halper, Washington Post, 16 Jan. 2024 Last summer, up to 23,000 people visited the ancient site—which includes the Parthenon—each day. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Jan. 2024 By the time Elgin’s men arrived, the Parthenon had been occupied, desecrated and burned. William Booth, Washington Post, 28 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Parthenon.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Parthenōn

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Parthenon was in 1776

Dictionary Entries Near Parthenon

Cite this Entry

“Parthenon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Parthenon. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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