Delphi
/ˈdɛl.faɪ/noun
An ancient Greek sanctuary and oracle site on Mount Parnassus, once regarded as the religious center of the Greek world.
Did you know?Delphi’s prestige came from the oracle of Apollo, where priestess-pronouncements were believed to transmit divine will, making the site one of antiquity’s most famous centers of sacred speech.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Δελφοί (Delphoí)
“The sanctuary city of Delphi and its surrounding district”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Δελφός (delphós)
“A womb or belly”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
δέλφις (delphis)
“Dolphin”
Latin
Latin
Delphi
“The Greek oracle sanctuary, borrowed into Latin from Greek”
Modern English
English
Delphi
“The ancient Greek oracle site and its name in modern use”
Explore more surprising origins