Greek

[ greek ]

/ grik /

adjective

of or relating to Greece, the Greeks, or their language.

pertaining to the Greek Orthodox Church.

noting or pertaining to the alphabetical script derived from a Semitic form of writing, employing some letters that originally represented consonants for use as vowel sounds, which was used from about the beginning of the first millennium b.c. for the writing of Greek, and from which the Latin, Cyrillic, and other alphabets were derived.

noun

a native or inhabitant of Greece.

the language of the ancient Greeks and any of the languages that have developed from it, as Hellenistic Greek, Biblical Greek, the Koine, and Modern Greek. Abbreviation: Gk, Gk.

Informal. anything unintelligible, as speech, writing, etc.: This contract is all Greek to me.

a member of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Hellenic(def 3).

a person who belongs to a Greek-letter fraternity or sorority.

Archaic: Usually Offensive. a cheater, especially one who cheats at cards.

Origin of Greek

before 900; Middle English; Old English Grēcas (plural) < Latin Graecī the Greeks (nominative plural of Graecus) < Greek Graikoí, plural of Graikós Greek

usage note for Greek

The noun Greek in its archaic meaning of “cheater” is usually perceived as insulting to or by Greeks.

OTHER WORDS FROM Greek

Greek·dom, noun Greek·ish, adjective an·ti-Greek, adjective, noun half-Greek, adjective

non-Greek, adjective, noun pre-Greek, adjective, noun pro-Greek, adjective, noun pseu·do-Greek, adjective, noun qua·si-Greek, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for gk.

Greek

/ (ɡriːk) /

noun

the official language of Greece, constituting the Hellenic branch of the Indo-European family of languages See Ancient Greek, Late Greek, Medieval Greek, Modern Greek

a native or inhabitant of Greece or a descendant of such a native

a member of the Greek Orthodox Church

informal anything incomprehensible (esp in the phrase it's (all) Greek to me)

Greek meets Greek equals meet

adjective

denoting, relating to, or characteristic of Greece, the Greeks, or the Greek language; Hellenic

of, relating to, or designating the Greek Orthodox Church

Derived forms of Greek

Greekness, noun

Word Origin for Greek

from Old English Grēcas (plural), or Latin Graecus, from Greek Graikos

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

Greek

adjective

noun

Origin of Greek

usage note for Greek

OTHER WORDS FROM Greek

British Dictionary definitions for gk.

noun

adjective

Derived forms of Greek

Word Origin for Greek