pyrrhic C2 Topic:War & Conflict US /ˈpɪɹɪk/ UK /ˈpɪ.ɹɪk/ See IPA manual Freq #108111 Meanings 1 adj of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits, especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans The abundance of casualties rendered it a pyrrhic victory. 2 adj of or relating to or containing a metrical foot of two unstressed syllables Pyrrhic verses. 3 adj of or relating to a war dance of ancient Greece Pyrrhic dance movements. 4 adj Alternative letter-case form of Pyrrhic (“achieved at too great a cost”). Huwawa is slain; the victors triumph, but the victory is to be a pyrrhic one for Gilgamesh, for the gods have met in counsel and decreed that Enkidu should die. Common collocations pyrrhic victory Adjective + noun Etymology From Latin pyrrhichius (“dibrach”), from πυρρίχη (purrhíkhē, “war dance”), from πυρρός (purrhós, “flame-colored, red”), from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”). Topics War & Conflict External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # pyrrhic **Type:** Word **Level:** C2 **Part of speech:** adj **IPA (US):** /ˈpɪɹɪk/ **IPA (UK):** /ˈpɪ.ɹɪk/ **Frequency rank:** 108111 ## Meanings 1. of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits, especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans 2. of or relating to or containing a metrical foot of two unstressed syllables 3. of or relating to a war dance of ancient Greece 4. Alternative letter-case form of Pyrrhic (“achieved at too great a cost”). ## Examples - The abundance of casualties rendered it a pyrrhic victory. - Pyrrhic verses. - Pyrrhic dance movements. - Huwawa is slain; the victors triumph, but the victory is to be a pyrrhic one for Gilgamesh, for the gods have met in counsel and decreed that Enkidu should die. ## Etymology From Latin pyrrhichius (“dibrach”), from πυρρίχη (purrhíkhē, “war dance”), from πυρρός (purrhós, “flame-colored, red”), from πῦρ (pûr, “fire”). ## Topics - War & Conflict markdown