Word
greek
Phoneticsgreek
/ˈɡɹik/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
n. a person from Greece or the language they speak there. You also use it to describe something that is impossible to understand.
n. a native or inhabitant of Greece, or the Indo-European language spoken in Greece and Cyprus. In informal contexts, it functions as a metaphor for unintelligible or incomprehensible speech or writing.
Examples
“I am learning Greek for my summer holiday.”
“The instructions for the new software were all Greek to me, so I had to call technical support.”
“While the scholar was fluent in Modern Greek, he found the ancient inscriptions on the temple walls significantly more challenging to decipher without a specialized lexicon.”
Examples
simple
“I am learning Greek for my summer holiday.”
contextual
“The instructions for the new software were all Greek to me, so I had to call technical support.”
complex
“While the scholar was fluent in Modern Greek, he found the ancient inscriptions on the temple walls significantly more challenging to decipher without a specialized lexicon.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the language; countable when referring to a person. Often used in the idiom 'it's all Greek to me' to describe something incomprehensible.
Etymology
Inherited from Old English Grēcas (“Greeks”), variant of Crēcas, from Proto-West Germanic *Krēkō, from Latin Graecus of uncertain origin, perhaps derived from the toponym Γραῖα (Graîa) or from other Paleo-Balkanic forms from a tribal name Graii. Greek in any case has the cognate Γραικός (Graikós), the mythological ancestor of the Γραίοι (Graíoi, “Graecians”). Germanic cognates include Dutch Griek, German Grieche. The ⟨g⟩ in English and Germanic cognates was restored under influence from French grec and classical Latin Graecus. The adjective dates to 14th-century Middle English, replacing Old English Grēċisċ (“Greekish”) and earlier Middle English Gregeis. In reference to fraternities and sororities, a clipping of earlier Greek-letter in reference to their usual names being initialisms of mottos in the Greek language. In reference to terms used to analysize financial derivatives, from their usual names consisting of Greek letters.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 3
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · Beginner
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/greek