Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

it's all greek to me

/ɪts ˌɔːl ˈɡɹiːk tə ˌmiː/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.48 in modern English

Syllables: it's al-l -greek -to me
IPA: /ɪts ˌɔːl ˈɡɹiːk tə ˌmiː/

22

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

4

Syllables

11

Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

I don't understand any of it; it makes no sense.

Example Sentences

"I tried reading the instructions, but it’s all Greek to me."
"But thoſe that vnderſtood him, ſmil'd at one another, and ſhooke their heads: but for mine owne part, it was Greeke to me."
"During the processions they trilled and quavered most melodiously betwixt their teeth I do not know what antiphones, or chantings, by turns. For my part, ’twas all Hebrew-Greek to me, the devil a word I could pick out on’t;"
""Well," said Alfred, "it may be a letter, but I confess it is all Greek to me. I certainly do not see why you wish to keep it a secret. Tell me.""
"I ran after him, and received an order to go aloft and “slush down the main-top mast.” This was all Greek to me, and after receiving the order, I stood staring about me, wondering what it was that was to be done."
"“Look here, Mr. Count,” he said; “I am only a rough Englishman, and a lot of what you have been saying about mission and that sort of thing is just so much Greek to me.”"

Etymology

First quoted as it was Greek to me in Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, possibly translated from a sentence in Medieval Latin.

Inflected Forms

it's Greek to me (alternative) that's Greek to me (alternative) that's all Greek to me (alternative)

Synonyms

it's all Chinese to me (I can’t) make head or tail of double Dutch

Questions

How do you pronounce it's all greek to me?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪts ˌɔːl ˈɡɹiːk tə ˌmiː/.
What does it's all greek to me mean?: I don't understand any of it; it makes no sense.
Where does it's all greek to me come from?: First quoted as it was Greek to me in Julius Caesar by Shakespeare, possibly translated from a sentence in Medieval Latin.

How to pronounce it's all greek to me

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “it's all greek to me”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪts ˌɔːl ˈɡɹiːk tə ˌmiː/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “it's all greek to me”.
Repeat and practice — Say “it's all greek to me” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.