Hellenistic
adjective
Hel·le·nis·tic
ˌhe-lə-ˈni-stik 
1
: of or relating to Greek history, culture, or art after Alexander the Great
2
: of or relating to the Hellenists
Examples of Hellenistic in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Paphos Archaeological Park – Roman Mosaics Paphos Archaeological Park encompasses the remains of the ancient city of Nea Paphos, which was the island’s capital during the Hellenistic and Roman eras.
—
Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026
In more recent years, though, there has been a countermovement to restore Paul to a more credible Hellenistic context.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Patrons didn’t need to know this statue was gasp Hellenistic instead.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
The Hellenistic art in the show hints at their cultural dominance: one fragment of a red-figure vase shows a dog and a panther about to swat each other; in another a young man parts his lips slightly, as if in surprise.
—Madeleine Schwartz, The New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2026
On Alexander the Great and Hellenistic homophobia.
—Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
The site was founded in the late Hellenistic period, between the second and first centuries BC, when it was used as a fortress.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
This was in response to the flood of philosophical writings in the ancient Near East and Hellenistic world.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025
Unusually, Queen Berenice II, the wife of Hellenistic ruler Ptolemy III, appears as the face of political power.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025
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Joanne Shurvell, Forbes.com, 9 June 2026
In more recent years, though, there has been a countermovement to restore Paul to a more credible Hellenistic context.
—Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Patrons didn’t need to know this statue was gasp Hellenistic instead.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
The Hellenistic art in the show hints at their cultural dominance: one fragment of a red-figure vase shows a dog and a panther about to swat each other; in another a young man parts his lips slightly, as if in surprise.
—Madeleine Schwartz, The New York Review of Books, 12 Feb. 2026
On Alexander the Great and Hellenistic homophobia.
—Literary Hub, 13 Jan. 2026
The site was founded in the late Hellenistic period, between the second and first centuries BC, when it was used as a fortress.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 30 Dec. 2025
This was in response to the flood of philosophical writings in the ancient Near East and Hellenistic world.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2025
Unusually, Queen Berenice II, the wife of Hellenistic ruler Ptolemy III, appears as the face of political power.
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hellenistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hellenistic. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Hellenistic
adjective
Hel·le·nis·tic
ˌhel-ə-ˈnis-tik
: of or relating to the widespread Greek-based culture that developed after the conquests of Alexander the Great
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