Meaning & use

Spartan

noun·Academic

A native or citizen of the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, historically known for strict military discipline.

See it in a sentence

As a Spartan, he was trained from childhood to endure hardship without complaint.

The Spartans famously held the pass at Thermopylae against a much larger invading army.

A note on using this word

Capitalized "Spartan" refers to the ancient people; lowercase "spartan" is a general adjective for extreme simplicity or discipline.

Words with a similar meaning

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Another way to use it

2. adjective

Extremely plain, simple, or self-disciplined, without comfort or luxury.

The monks lived a spartan existence, sleeping on wooden boards and eating one simple meal a day.

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