spartan
/ˈspɑːtn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈspɑːrtn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈspär-tᵊn/ (ame, mw)
spartan — adjective
- spartanpositive
- more spartancomparative
- most spartansuperlative
1. A spartan place, room, or way of living is extremely plain and basic, containing
A spartan place, room, or way of living is extremely plain and basic, containing only the most necessary items with nothing added for comfort or enjoyment.
The student dormitory was a spartan room with just a bed, a desk, and a single chair.
collocation: spartan room
During the training program, the soldiers lived in spartan conditions with no heating and only cold showers.
collocation: spartan conditions
The monastery offered spartan lodging: a thin mattress on a wooden floor and a bowl of rice each day.
After years in a spartan mountain cabin with no electricity, Ingrid found the city overwhelming but strangely appealing.
The consultant kept his office deliberately spartan — white walls, a desk, and nothing else.
用法筆記
Describes physical spaces (rooms, cabins, dormitories), living conditions, or deliberately simple lifestyles. Often implies a positive sense of purposeful minimalism, not just poor quality.
常見錯誤
2. Showing the ability to face suffering, danger, or difficulty with great courage
Showing the ability to face suffering, danger, or difficulty with great courage and self-control, without expressing fear or complaining.
The mountaineers pressed on with spartan courage, even after their food supplies ran out.
collocation: spartan courage
With spartan resolve, Nadia continued to care for the injured throughout the night.
collocation: spartan resolve
The firefighters showed spartan discipline, staying calm and organised as the building burned around them.
Kwame faced the loss of his business with a spartan spirit that impressed everyone who knew him.
The elderly farmer's spartan acceptance of his failing health quietly inspired the whole village.
- cowardly
lacking courage when facing danger or pain
- complaining
the opposite of enduring without complaint
用法筆記
Used before abstract nouns like courage, resolve, discipline, endurance, and spirit. This sense describes a person's inner character or response to hardship, not their physical surroundings.
常見錯誤
spartan — noun
1. A person who was born in or belonged to the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta,
A person who was born in or belonged to the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, which was known for its powerful army and extremely strict, military-focused society.
The Spartans trained boys from the age of seven in a harsh program designed to create fearless soldiers.
At the Battle of Thermopylae, a small group of Spartans held back a massive Persian army for three days.
historical reference: Battle of Thermopylae
Unlike Athenians, who valued philosophy and the arts, a Spartan was raised above all to fight and obey.
The historian explained that a Spartan would rather die in battle than return home after a defeat.
- Athenian
a person from Athens, a Greek city-state with very different values focused on arts and democracy
用法筆記
Always capitalised (Spartan) when referring to the historical people. Can be used as a countable noun: one Spartan, two Spartans.
常見錯誤
2. Someone who shows exceptional bravery, strong willpower, and the ability to cont
Someone who shows exceptional bravery, strong willpower, and the ability to control their own actions and emotions, especially when dealing with hardship.
After the earthquake, ordinary citizens became true Spartans, digging through debris to rescue trapped strangers.
figurative use: became true Spartans
The old fisherman was a modern Spartan, working alone at sea every day despite his age and failing health.
modern Spartan
The volunteers at the refugee camp were Spartans in every way, tirelessly helping others without a single complaint.
Valentina's grandmother was a Spartan of the old kind, raising six children alone after losing her husband in the war.
用法筆記
Lowercase the word when used in this figurative sense, though capitalisation varies in published texts. Often follows 'a true Spartan' or 'a modern-day Spartan.' This sense is infrequent in everyday speech.