# Thermopylae

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /θɚˈmɑpɪli/ · frequency rank #74,575

## Definitions
1. A narrow pass on the east-central coast of Greece adjacent to the Maliakos Gulf, northwest of Athens. Its name is derived from its hot sulphur springs. It was the site of the Battle of Thermopylae, at which the Spartan King Leonidas stood off, for a time, the Persian armies of Xerxes.

## Etymology
From Latin Thermopylae, from Ancient Greek Θερμοπύλαι (Thermopúlai).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/thermopylae