noun

Iliad

IH-lee-ad

Iliad (noun) means Homer's ancient Greek epic poem about the final weeks of the Trojan War, centred on the rage of Achilles. Example: “She read the Iliad in translation for her classics course.”

noun

Homer's ancient Greek epic poem about the final weeks of the Trojan War, centred on the rage of Achilles.

"She read the Iliad in translation for her classics course."

"The professor compared the battle scene to something out of the Iliad."

By extension, any long, dramatic, or tragic story of struggle.

"His account of the divorce turned into a two-hour Iliad of grievances."

"The company's turnaround was practically a corporate Iliad."

How to use Iliad

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishHomer's epic about the Trojan War — or, loosely, any sprawling saga of conflict.

Common pairings

the Iliad and the Odyssey a modern-day Iliad

Word forms

Iliads plural

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She read the _____ in translation for her classics course.

Etymology

From Latin Iliadis, ultimately from Greek Ilias, "the poem of Ilion" (Ilion being another name for Troy).

Origin: Latin

Rhymes for Iliad

Iad triad myriad Olympiad

See all rhymes for Iliad →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Iliad” mean?

The word “Iliad” means homer's ancient Greek epic poem about the final weeks of the Trojan War, centred on the rage of Achilles. In plain terms, homer's epic about the Trojan War — or, loosely, any sprawling saga of conflict.

How do you pronounce “Iliad”?

“Iliad” is pronounced IH-lee-ad (/ˈɪliˌæd/ in IPA).

How do you use “Iliad” in a sentence?

Here is “Iliad” used in a sentence: “She read the Iliad in translation for her classics course.”

What part of speech is “Iliad”?

“Iliad” is a noun.

Where does the word “Iliad” come from?

The word “Iliad” comes from Latin. From Latin Iliadis, ultimately from Greek Ilias, "the poem of Ilion" (Ilion being another name for Troy).

How many meanings does “Iliad” have?

“Iliad” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: homer's ancient Greek epic poem about the final weeks of the Trojan War, centred on the rage of Achilles.