thule
Definition
Noun: 1. A historical or mythological region: The name given by ancient Greek and Roman geographers to the northernmost land believed to be habitable, often considered a distant, remote, or ultimate northern limit. 2. A modern settlement: A town in northwestern Greenland, historically known for a U.S. military base established there during World War II and later for the Thule Air Base.
Examples of Usage
- Historical/Mythological sense:
- Ancient explorers wrote of a mysterious land called Thule, far to the north.
- The phrase "Ultima Thule" is sometimes used metaphorically to mean a distant, unknown goal or a remote place.
- Modern geographical sense:
- The Thule Air Base in Greenland is a strategically important location.
- Supplies were shipped to the settlement at Thule.
Advanced Usage
- "Ultima Thule": A Latin phrase meaning "farthest Thule." It is used to denote:
- The most remote or northernmost place imaginable.
- (Figuratively) The highest or most unattainable degree of something, a final goal.
Variants and Related Words
- Thulean (adj): Pertaining to the ancient region of Thule.
- Example: The Thulean concept influenced medieval maps.
Synonyms
- Northern limit, remote north, far north (for the historical sense).
- Settlement, outpost (for the modern sense).
Related Idioms
- Ultima Thule: As described in 'Advanced Usage,' this is the primary idiom associated with the word, signifying an extreme, distant, or ultimate point.
Noun
-
the geographical region believed by ancient geographers to be the northernmost land in the inhabited world
-
a town in northwestern Greenland; during World War II a United States naval base was built there
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