Marathon Meaning
/ˈmæɹəθən/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA 42.195-kilometre (26-mile-385-yard) road race.
nounAny extended or sustained activity.
Sentence Examples
The doctor forbade me from taking part in the marathon.
The marathon will be held, rain or shine.
She came second in the marathon.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She trained for months to run the 26-mile ____ through the city streets on Sunday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The athlete trained for many months to prepare for the ____, which is a race of over twenty-six miles.
Word Origin & History
From French marathon, coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance. The toponym itself comes from μάραθον (márathon, “fennel”) and refers to the prevalence of the plant in the area.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"After a marathon session that included more than 14 hours of mostly negative public comment, the council agreed 11 to 4 to fund the center, and then gaveled out just before 6 a.m."
— 2023 June 10, Patricia Murphy, “OPINION: ‘Atlanta way’ long gone as city leaders face death threats over training center”, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
"In less than two years, they and their family and friends have skydived, marathoned, tray-baked and dinner-danced their way to £130,000 for Duchenne research through their help4harry campaign."
— 2015 August 1, Mary Braid, “‘I was cross that my child had to beg the prime minister for a drug’”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 05 Mar 2022:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She trained for months to run the 26-mile ____ through the city streets on Sunday.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The athlete trained for many months to prepare for the ____, which is a race of over twenty-six miles.