thessaloniki
thessaloniki Lexical Profile
• noun
The second-largest city in Greece, located in the northern part of the country on the Thermaic Gulf of the Aegean Sea, serving as the capital of the geographic region of Macedonia and renowned for its extensive Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman history.
"During our tour of Greece, we spent three days in Thessaloniki exploring its ancient Byzantine churches and vibrant waterfront."
Word Nuance & Usage
Historically and in some English contexts, the city is also commonly referred to as Salonica or Salonika.
• Rhymes for thessaloniki
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Named by Cassander of Macedon in 315 BC after his wife, Princess Thessalonike, half-sister of Alexander the Great. Her name translates to 'Thessalian victory', from Greek 'Thessalos' (Thessalian) and 'nike' (victory), commemorating her birth on the day of a Macedonian victory in Thessaly.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.