Kore
/ˈkɔːr.i/noun
A statue of a standing young woman from ancient Greece, especially from the Archaic period.
Did you know?In Ancient Greek, κόρη could mean both “maiden” and “pupil of the eye,” possibly because the tiny reflected figure in someone’s eye was imagined as a little girl.
Etymological Timeline
Mycenaean Greek (2nd millennium BCE)
Greek
𐀒𐀫𐀩 (ko-wa)
“A probable early form connected with “girl” or “young woman,” though the reading and exact relationship remain debated.”
Archaic Greek
Ancient Greek
κόρη (korē)
“Girl, maiden, young woman; also the pupil of the eye.”
6th–5th Century BCE
Ancient Greek
κόρη
“A dedicated statue representing a young woman, commonly shown standing and wearing elaborate clothing.”
19th Century
English
kore
“An archaeological term adopted for an ancient Greek statue of a maiden.”
Modern English
English
kore
“A standing female statue from Archaic Greece, typically clothed and associated with religious dedication.”