andromaque: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

C2
UK/anˈdrɒməki/US/ænˈdrɑːməki/

Literary, Academic

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Quick answer

What does “andromaque” mean?

Proper noun referring to a tragic figure from Greek mythology, the wife of Hector of Troy.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

Proper noun referring to a tragic figure from Greek mythology, the wife of Hector of Troy.

In literary contexts, a symbol of bereaved widowhood, maternal grief, and the tragic fate of women in war.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant differences in usage; reference is equally literary/academic in both variants.

Connotations

Evokes classical education, tragedy, and epic poetry.

Frequency

Extremely low frequency in general corpora; appears primarily in specialized texts.

Grammar

How to Use “andromaque” in a Sentence

Andromache, wife of XAndromache, the Y of Z

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
tragic AndromacheAndromache's lamentAndromache weeps
medium
the fate of AndromacheAndromache in the Iliadcharacter of Andromache
weak
Andromache and HectorAndromache's sonfigure of Andromache

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Virtually never used.

Academic

Used in classical studies, literature, and gender studies discussing archetypes.

Everyday

Extremely rare; only among those discussing classical mythology.

Technical

Used in philology, classical mythology, and literary analysis.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “andromaque”

Strong

archetype of grieftragic heroine

Neutral

Hector's widowmythological figure

Weak

classical characterTrojan woman

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “andromaque”

victorious herountragic figurecomic relief

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “andromaque”

  • Spelling: Andromache (correct) vs. Andromaque (French spelling).
  • Pronouncing final 'e' as silent (it's pronounced /i/).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

No, it is a specialized proper noun from classical mythology, used almost exclusively in literary and academic contexts.

In British English: /anˈdrɒməki/. In American English: /ænˈdrɑːməki/. The final 'e' is pronounced like the 'i' in 'ski'.

She is an archetype of the grieving war widow and mother, representing the human cost of conflict, particularly for women.

Yes, though it's a high-register usage. One might refer to a modern figure as 'an Andromache' to evoke profound, tragic loss due to war or violence.

Proper noun referring to a tragic figure from Greek mythology, the wife of Hector of Troy.

Andromaque is usually literary, academic in register.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • None

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

Andromache sounds like 'and row make' – imagine her making a row (weeping) after the war.

Conceptual Metaphor

A WOMAN IN WAR IS A VESSEL OF GRIEF.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
In Euripides' play 'The Trojan Women', embodies the despair of the conquered.
Multiple Choice

Andromache is primarily known as: