Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
A town in Attica, Greece, the site of the victory in 490 BC of heavily outnumbered Athenians against Persians.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A rural town in the Shire of Flinders, northern Queensland, Australia.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A town in Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A city in the Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A minor city in Buena Vista County, Iowa.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A township in Lapeer County, Michigan.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A town and village therein, in Cortland County, New York.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
An unincorporated community in Jackson Township, Clermont County, Ohio.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A census-designated place in Brewster County, Texas.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
A place name elsewhere in the world:
A number of places in the United States:
A town in Marathon County, Wisconsin.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Any extended or sustained activity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly, figuratively
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Former name of Snickers (“chocolate bar brand”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To run a marathon.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To watch or read a large number of instalments of (a film, book, TV series, etc.) in one sitting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, transitive
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
any long and arduous undertaking
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: endurance contest
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: undertaking, project, task, labor
noun
a battle in 490 BC in which the Athenians and their allies defeated the Persians
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: battle of Marathon
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pitched battle
noun
a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: footrace, foot race, run
History
From Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn). Doublet of marathon.
From French marathon, coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance. The toponym itself comes from μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”) and refers to the prevalence of the plant in the area.
Across languages
83 source translations are retained for this English entry.
