hoplite: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Historical, Academic
Quick answer
What does “hoplite” mean?
A heavily armed infantry soldier in ancient Greece.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A heavily armed infantry soldier in ancient Greece.
A citizen-soldier of an ancient Greek city-state, who provided his own armour and fought in a close-ranked phalanx formation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling, pronunciation, or usage differences exist; it is a historical loanword used identically in both varieties.
Connotations
Evokes classical history, warfare, and Greek civic ideals. Neutral in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general English; encountered almost exclusively in historical, military, or classical studies contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “hoplite” in a Sentence
[determiner] + hoplite + [from/of city-state] (e.g., a hoplite of Athens)[adjective] + hoplite + [verb] (e.g., The Spartan hoplites advanced.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hoplite” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The term is not used as a verb.
American English
- The term is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- The term is not used as an adverb.
American English
- The term is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- The hoplite phalanx was a formidable formation.
- He studied hoplite warfare and its social impact.
American English
- Hoplite warfare defined the classical period.
- The city's hoplite class held significant political power.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in history, classics, archaeology, and military history texts. (e.g., 'The economic basis of the hoplite class is debated.')
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used as a precise classification in ancient military studies.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hoplite”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hoplite”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hoplite”
- Incorrect pronunciation: /ˈhəʊplaɪt/ (it's /ˈhɒplaɪt/).
- Using it for any ancient soldier, not specifically Greek.
- Spelling error: 'hoplight'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a strictly historical term for Greek infantry of the Archaic and Classical periods.
A hoplite is Greek, fought in a phalanx with a spear and large round shield (aspis). A legionary is Roman, fought in more flexible maniples/cohorts with a short sword (gladius) and a rectangular shield (scutum).
It comes from the Greek 'hoplites', from 'hoplon' (plural 'hopla'), meaning a tool, weapon, or specifically the heavy shield carried by such soldiers.
Very rarely. It might be used in political commentary to evoke an image of a stalwart defender of a cause or system, but this is highly specialised and literary.
A heavily armed infantry soldier in ancient Greece.
Hoplite is usually formal, historical, academic in register.
Hoplite: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhɒplaɪt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhɑːplaɪt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None in common usage.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a HOPping soldier weighed down by his armour and spear – but he's a HOPLITE, not a grasshopper. Think: HOPLITE = HOP (to move) + LITE (sounds like 'light' – but he's not light!).
Conceptual Metaphor
Often serves as a METAPHOR FOR CITIZENSHIP AND CIVIC DUTY, representing the ideal of the citizen-warrior.
Practice
Quiz
What was a defining characteristic of a hoplite?