pyrrhic Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a metrical unit with unstressed-unstressed syllables
    dibrach.
  2. noun an ancient Greek dance imitating the motions of warfare
  3. adjective of or relating to a war dance of ancient Greece
    • pyrrhic dance movements
  4. adjective of or relating to or containing a metrical foot of two unstressed syllables
    • pyrrhic verses
  5. adjective of or relating to or resembling Pyrrhus or his exploits (especially his sustaining staggering losses in order to defeat the Romans)
    • a Pyrrhic victory

WordNet

Pyr"rhic adjective
Etymology
L. pyrrhichius, Gr. belonging to the (sc. ) a kind of war dance.
Definitions
  1. Of or pertaining to an ancient Greek martial dance. " ye have the pyrrhic dance as yet." Byron.
  2. (Pros.) Of or pertaining to a pyrrhic, or to pyrrhics; containing pyrrhic; as, a pyrrhic verse. Pyrrhic victory [From Pyrrhus, king of Epirus], a victory in which the winning side sustains very heavy losses. (b) any act supposedly benefitting the actor, for which the costs outweight the benefits.
Pyr"rhic noun
Definitions
  1. Gr. : cf. F. pyrrhique, fem. An ancient Greek martial dance, to the accompaniment of the flute, its time being very quick.
  2. L. pyrrhichius (sc. pes), Gr. (sc. ): cf. F. pyrrhique, masc. (Pros.) A foot consisting of two short syllables.

Webster 1913