philippic

views updated Jun 08 2018

philippic (pl.) name of the orations of Demosthenes against Philip II, king of Macedon (IV B.C.); hence applied to Cicero's orations against Mark-Antony, and gen. to any invective or denunciatory speech. XVI. — L. philippicus — Gr. Philippikós, f. Phílippos; see -IC.

philippic

views updated May 11 2018

phi·lip·pic / fəˈlipik/ • n. poetic/lit. a bitter attack or denunciation, esp. a verbal one.

philippic

views updated May 14 2018

philippic a bitter attack or denunciation, especially a verbal one; from (via Latin) Greek philippikos, the name given to Demosthenes' speeches against Philip II of Macedon, also to those of Cicero against Mark Antony.

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