sappho
sappho Lexical Profile
• noun
(usually capitalized) An archaic Greek lyric poet from the island of Lesbos, celebrated in antiquity for her passionate, melodic verse and the invention of the Sapphic meter.
"Scholars have long studied the surviving papyrus fragments of Sappho to reconstruct her lyric poetry."
A gifted female lyric poet, especially one compared in passion or skill to the ancient Greek poet Sappho.
"Contemporary critics hailed the young writer as the Sappho of her generation."
The red-tailed comet (Sappho sparganurus), a South American hummingbird of the family Trochilidae native to the central Andes, distinguished by its long, deeply forked iridescent red-and-gold tail.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Latin Sappho, from Ancient Greek Sappho (Aeolic Greek Psappho), the name of the celebrated seventh-century BCE lyric poet from the island of Lesbos.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.