name

Thebes

theebz

Thebes (name) means an ancient and modern city in central Greece, once a major political power. Example: “Thebes rivaled Athens and Sparta in ancient Greek history.”

name

An ancient and modern city in central Greece, once a major political power.

"Thebes rivaled Athens and Sparta in ancient Greek history."

An ancient Egyptian city on the Nile that served as capital during parts of Egyptian history.

"The Valley of the Kings lies near ancient Thebes in Egypt."

How to use Thebes

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe name of two famous ancient cities — one in Greece, one in Egypt.

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ rivaled Athens and Sparta in ancient Greek history.

Etymology

From Greek Thêbai — the Greek and Egyptian cities share the English name but developed it from unrelated original words.

Origin: Greek

Frequently asked questions

What does “Thebes” mean?

The word “Thebes” means an ancient and modern city in central Greece, once a major political power. In plain terms, the name of two famous ancient cities — one in Greece, one in Egypt.

How do you pronounce “Thebes”?

“Thebes” is pronounced theebz (/θiːbz/ in IPA).

How do you use “Thebes” in a sentence?

Here is “Thebes” used in a sentence: “Thebes rivaled Athens and Sparta in ancient Greek history.”

What part of speech is “Thebes”?

“Thebes” is a name.

Where does the word “Thebes” come from?

The word “Thebes” comes from Greek. From Greek Thêbai — the Greek and Egyptian cities share the English name but developed it from unrelated original words.

How many meanings does “Thebes” have?

“Thebes” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an ancient and modern city in central Greece, once a major political power.