marathon English · revision 2424

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmæɹəθən/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmæɹəˌθɑn/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is named after Marathon, a plain and village in Attica, Greece, where the Athenians defeated the Persians in 490 BCE.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) The news of the victory was carried to Athens by a runner,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) whom later tradition calls Pheidippides.^(RHWU)^(Etymonline) The place name means “fennel field”, from Greek ''márathon'' “fennel”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A long-distance footrace, introduced at the revived Olympic Games in Athens in 1896.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The race commemorated the runner's legendary run.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) By 1908 the name was used for other long-distance races and contests of endurance,^(OED 1989) and by 1915 for any event or activity of great length.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995) The distance was later standardized at 26 miles 385 yards (about 42.2 kilometres).^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary) In recent use the verb also means to watch many episodes of a series in one sitting.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1767 – the adjective ''Marathonian''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1896 – a long-distance footrace.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1908 – other long-distance races and endurance contests.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1915 – any event of long duration.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1920 – verb, to run as in a marathon (rare).^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (about 42.2 kilometres).^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Any long-distance race.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A contest, event or activity requiring great endurance or lasting a long time.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[marathoner]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}