Panathenaic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Relating to or characteristic of the ancient Athenian festival held in honor of the goddess Athena, marked by athletic, musical, and poetic competitions
2. Pertaining to the grand classical celebration originating in Athens that honors Athena with various cultural and sporting events
3. Connected with the historic Panathenaic festival of Athens, known for its religious ceremonies, contests, and processions dedicated to the goddess Athena

Etymology: Panathenaic is built from the name of the festival it describes. In ancient Greek, the Panathenaea was the great festival of Athens, and its name combined "pan," meaning "all," with "Athenaia," the goddess Athena, so the word means something like "all-Athena" or "for all the Athenians' goddess." The adjective "Panathenaïkós" simply attaches the ancient Greek suffix "-ikos," meaning "pertaining to," to that festival name. The festival was held every year, with a grander celebration every four years, and it featured processions, sacrifices, and athletic and musical contests. The adjective therefore applies to anything linked with those events, from the processions that carried a new robe to the temple of Athena to the athletic competitions held in her honour. Because English took the word directly from Ancient Greek through a learned route, it reads as a classical formation, and it is used almost exclusively in scholarly writing about Athens and its religion.