philhellenic

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   admiring or supporting Greece, the Greeks, or Greek culture

   The museum's philhellenic founders built a collection centered on ancient Greek art.

2. 2
   adj

   historical: supporting Greek national independence, especially during the Greek War of Independence

   Philhellenic committees raised money for the Greek struggle for independence.

Formed from phil- ("loving"), ultimately Greek philos ("dear, loving"), + Hellenic ("Greek"), from Hellen. The specifically political sense arose with European support for Greek independence in the nineteenth century.

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