marathon

noun

mar·​a·​thon ˈmer-ə-ˌthän How to pronounce marathon (audio)
ˈma-rə-
often attributive
1
: a footrace run on an open course usually of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers)
broadly : a long-distance race
2
a
: an endurance contest
b
: something (such as an event, activity, or session) characterized by great length or concentrated effort

Examples of marathon in a Sentence

We watched a marathon of our favorite movies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Club Space The Report Miami nightlife institution Club Space delivered an epic Art Basel finale with a marathon celebration that stretched well beyond the 24-hour mark. Jaime Sloane, SPIN, 16 Dec. 2024 Zylka, who according to his Instagram is a fitness lover and avid marathon runner, dated Hilton from 2015 to 2018. Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024 At West Point, Beat Navy week is marked by the burning of a bonfire with a 20-foot effigy of a Navy ship before the Army marathon team begins the 300-mile run from campus to Northwest Stadium to deliver the game ball. Kyle Feldscher, CNN, 13 Dec. 2024 Her goal is to complete all six (or soon to be seven) world major marathons. Jamie Aranoff, Outside Online, 12 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for marathon 

Word History

Etymology

Marathon, Greece, site of a victory of Greeks over Persians in 490 b.c., the news of which was carried to Athens by a long-distance runner

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of marathon was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near marathon

Cite this Entry

“Marathon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marathon. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

marathon

noun
mar·​a·​thon ˈmar-ə-ˌthän How to pronounce marathon (audio)
1
a
: a long-distance footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers) that is run on an open course
b
: a race other than a footrace (as for swimmers) marked especially by great distance
2
: a long hard contest
a dance marathon
marathon adjective
Etymology

named for Marathon, site of a battlefield in ancient Greece

Word Origin
Marathon is the name of a plain in Greece located about 26 miles (42 kilometers) from the city of Athens. It was the scene of a great victory by the Greeks over the Persians in 490 b.c. According to legend a Greek soldier named Pheidipiddes ran all the way from the battlefield to Athens to deliver the news. He reached the city, gasped out his message, and fell dead. When the modern Olympic Games began in 1896, one of the events was a footrace of 26 miles 385 yards (42.2 kilometers), called a marathon, in honor of the legendary run by Pheidipiddes.

Geographical Definition

Marathon

geographical name

Mar·​a·​thon ˈmer-ə-ˌthän How to pronounce Marathon (audio)
ˈma-rə-
1
plain of eastern Greece in Attica northeast of Athens on the Aegean Sea
2
ancient town on the plain of Marathon
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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