panhellenic

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounformal

   Involving or shared by all Greek people or all the Greek states, rather than by one city alone.

   Grammar: Comes before a noun: a panhellenic festival.

   Patterns

   • a panhellenic festival

   The Olympic Games were a panhellenic event that drew visitors from every Greek city.

   Some ancient writers dreamed of a panhellenic alliance against Persia.

   The temple at Delphi had a panhellenic reputation.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nounAmerican

   In the United States, relating to the council that coordinates sororities at a college, often written with a capital P.

   Grammar: Usually capitalized: Panhellenic Council.

   Patterns

   • the Panhellenic Council

   The Panhellenic Council set the dates for recruitment week.

   She represented her sorority at the Panhellenic meeting.

Common combinations

panhellenic games

The panhellenic games were held every four years at Olympia.

panhellenic sanctuary

Olympia was a panhellenic sanctuary open to all Greeks.

Panhellenic Council

The Panhellenic Council organized the fall recruitment.

panhellenic unity

The leaders urged panhellenic unity during the invasion.

Synonyms and how they differ

pan-Greek

Pan-Greek is a plainer, modern way to say the same thing and is more likely in political contexts.

national

National is broader and fits any country, while panhellenic ties the idea directly to Greek identity.

Opposites

Word family

Hellenic adjective

relating to Greece or the Greeks

Hellene noun

a Greek, especially an ancient one

panhellenism noun

the idea of unity among all Greeks

Hellenism noun

Greek culture or ideals

Commonly confused: panhellenic or Pan-Hellenic?

Practice

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