marathon

¹

[mar-uh-thon, -thuhn]

noun

1. a footrace or wheelchair race over a course measuring 26 miles 385 yards (42 kilometers 195 meters).

2. any long-distance race.

3. any contest, event, or the like, of great, or greater than normal, length or duration or requiring exceptional endurance.

   a dance marathon;

   a sales marathon.

Marathon

²

[mar-uh-thon]

noun

1. a plain in SE Greece, in Attica: the Athenians defeated the Persians here 490 b.c.

2. an ancient village that is near this plain.

3. Classical Mythology.,  a son of Epopeus and the father of Corinthus.

marathon

¹

/ ˈmærəθən /

noun

1. a race on foot of 26 miles 385 yards (42.195 kilometres): an event in the modern Olympics

2. 1. any long or arduous task, assignment, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a marathon effort

Marathon

²

/ ˈmærəθən /

noun

1. a plain in Attica northeast of Athens: site of a victory of the Athenians and Plataeans over the Persians (490 _bc )

Word History and Origins

Origin of marathon¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; allusion to Pheidippides' 26-mile (42-kilometer) run from Marathon to Athens to carry news of the Greek victory over the Persians in 490 b.c.

Word History and Origins

Origin of marathon¹

referring to the feat of the messenger who ran more than 20 miles from Marathon to Athens to bring the news of victory in 490 _bc

Example Sentences

In what is more of a sprint than a marathon - six games all told - they've already put Denmark on the back foot.

From BBC

“Little did I know that that marathon was going to set me up for a real one,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Eyebrows were also raised at £73.7m forward Benjamin Sesko being the last outfield player to take a penalty for United in the marathon shootout, which extended to 13 shots for each side.

From BBC

Swift brought her Eras tour to an end in December 2024 and hosted a private wrap party to celebrate her musical marathon.

From Los Angeles Times

Finally, Kolding and his wife, who are both marathon runners, wanted a landscape that mimicked the color and fragrance they experienced on their runs in the Laguna Hills and Santa Ana Mountains.

From Los Angeles Times

When To Use

What does marathon mean?

A marathon is a 26.22-mile (42.2-kilometer) long-distance race. Technically, the exact length of a marathon is 26 miles 385 yards (42 kilometers 195 meters). But the length is mostly commonly stated as 26.2 miles.Marathons are most commonly running races, but some people complete marathons in wheelchairs. Marathon courses are typically on roadways, often those in or around a city.The marathon is an event in the Summer Olympic Games. Major marathons are also held internationally in many major cities. Prominent events include the Boston Marathon, the New York Marathon, and the London Marathon.A marathon runner can be called a marathoner.A running race of 13.1 miles is known as a half-marathon. The term ultramarathon refers to a race of 50 miles or more.The word marathon is also often used in a more general way to refer to a contest or event that takes a particularly long time and requires endurance, such as a dance marathon. A movie marathon involves several movies played consecutively. Sometimes, the word is used in a more figurative way to refer to a task or undertaking that takes a long time and requires patience, as in Be patient—learning karate is a marathon, not a sprint.Example: I’ve always wanted to run a marathon, so I started training today.