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Definition of ithaca
ithaca
/ˈɪθ.ə.kə/
Ith · a · ca
Adjective:Ithacan
ithaca Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
7
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• 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.
Example
"She moved to Ithaca to pursue her graduate studies in engineering at Cornell."
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."
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.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ithaca. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ithaca