Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to Homer, the ancient Greek poet: Describing anything connected to the legendary author of the Iliad and the Odyssey.
   • Characteristic of Homer's style or the heroic age he depicted: Describing something that is grand, epic, or monumental in scale or spirit, reminiscent of the narratives in Homer's works.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The scholar gave a lecture on Homeric epithets like "swift-footed Achilles."
  • The battle was described with Homeric grandeur, involving gods and heroes.
  • She is an expert in Homeric Greek, the dialect of the epics.

Advanced Usage

• "Homeric simile": An extended, elaborate comparison, often running for several lines, characteristic of Homer's epic poetry.
  • The poet used a Homeric simile, comparing the advancing army to a wildfire sweeping across a mountain.
• "Homeric question": The scholarly debate concerning the authorship and composition of the Homeric poems.
  • His thesis addressed a key aspect of the Homeric question.

Variants and Related Words

• Homerically (adverb): In a manner reminiscent of or relating to Homer.
  • The scene was Homerically vast and tragic.

Synonyms

• Epic: Grand in scale or character.
• Heroic: Of or resembling heroes, especially in size or courage.

Related Phrases

• Homeric laughter: Extremely loud, hearty, or uncontrollable laughter. (This is an idiom derived from descriptions of the gods laughing in Homer's epics).
  • The joke provoked Homeric laughter from the entire room.

Adjective

1. relating to or characteristic of Homer or his age or the works attributed to him
   • Homeric Greek