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Definition of ithaca

ithaca

/ˈɪθ.ə.kə/
Ith · a · ca
Adjective:Ithacan
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ithaca Lexical Profile

• noun

1

American A city in the Finger Lakes region of central New York State, United States, situated at the southern tip of Cayuga Lake and famous as the home of Cornell University and Ithaca College.

2

A Greek island located in the Ionian Sea, traditionally celebrated in ancient Greek mythology as the home and kingdom of the hero Odysseus.

Example

"After ten years of wandering, Odysseus finally returned to the rocky shores of Ithaca."

• Nearby Words

iteration
iterative
iteratively
ithaca
ithaca falls
itinerant
itinerary

Word Origin & Etymology

From Ancient Greek Ἰθάκη (Ithákē), an island in the Ionian Sea of likely pre-Greek origin. The name was later adopted by several towns in the United States during the classical revival period.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ithaca. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ithaca
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