Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

pyrrhic victory

/ˌpɪɹ.ɪk ˈvɪk.t(ə)ɹ.i/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.26 in modern English

Syllables
pyrrhic vic-to-ry
IPA
/ˌpɪɹ.ɪk ˈvɪk.t(ə)ɹ.i/
32
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A very costly victory, wherein the considerable losses outweigh the gain, so as to render the struggle not worth the cost.

noun

Alternative letter-case form of Pyrrhic victory

Example Sentences

Etymology

After Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus, who suffered heavy losses while defeating the Romans.

Inflected Forms

Pyrrhic victories (plural)

Phrases

Cadmean victory monkey's paw

Frequently Paired Words

Cadmean victory monkey's paw

Synonyms

hollow victory

Questions

How do you pronounce pyrrhic victory?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌpɪɹ.ɪk ˈvɪk.t(ə)ɹ.i/.
What does pyrrhic victory mean?
A very costly victory, wherein the considerable losses outweigh the gain, so as to render the struggle not worth the cost.
Where does pyrrhic victory come from?
After Greek king Pyrrhus of Epirus, who suffered heavy losses while defeating the Romans.

How to pronounce pyrrhic victory

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “pyrrhic victory”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌpɪɹ.ɪk ˈvɪk.t(ə)ɹ.i/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “pyrrhic victory”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “pyrrhic victory” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.