MARATHON


Meaning of MARATHON in English

n.

Pronunciation: ' mer- ə - ˌ thän, ' ma-r ə -

Function: noun

Usage: often attrib

Etymology: Marathon, Greece, site of a victory of Greeks over Persians in 490 B.C. , the news of which was carried to Athens by a long-distance runner

Date: 1896

1 : a long-distance race: a : a footrace run on an open course usually of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers) b : a race other than a footrace marked especially by great length

2 a : an endurance contest b : something (as an event, activity, or session) characterized by great length or concentrated effort

Merriam Webster Collegiate English Dictionary.      Merriam Webster - Энциклопедический словарь английского языка.