Delphic

See also: delphic

English

Etymology

From Delphi +‎ -ic.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdɛlfɪk/

Adjective

Delphic (comparative more Delphic, superlative most Delphic)

1. Of or relating to Delphi or its oracles.
   • 2018 March 14, Roger Penrose, “'Mind over matter': Stephen Hawking – obituary by Roger Penrose”, in The Guardian‎, archived from the original on 20 March 2025:

     As with the Delphic oracle of ancient Greece, physical impairment seemed compensated by almost supernatural gifts, which allowed his mind to roam the universe freely, upon occasion enigmatically revealing some of its secrets hidden from ordinary mortal view.

2. Obscurely prophetic.
   • 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 18:

     He telephoned airlines, government contacts and a whole host of pale, over-brushed acquaintances in the U.S. Consulate, who infuriated him with arch and Delphic answers.

   • 2010, Dexter Hoyos, The Carthaginians, Routledge, →ISBN, page 215:

     Carthage now sent two embassies to Rome, one after the other, essentially to ask forgiveness and avert war. The first was told enigmatically that it would depend on "if the Carthaginians give satisfaction to the Romans". The ensuing embassy received the still more delphic reply that "the Carthaginians knew very well" what this meant.

   • 2017, Carl E. Walsh, Monetary Theory and Policy, 4th edition, MIT Press, page 33:

     Campbell et al. [&hellip] called the first effect Odyssian—the central bank is committing itself to keeping rates low in the future—and the second Delphic—the central bank is signaling a change in the outlook for the economy.

Derived terms

• Delphic maxims

Translations

of or relating to Delphi

Armenian: please add this translation if you can Catalan: dèlfic Finnish: delfolainen French: delphique (fr) Galician: délfico Georgian: please add this translation if you can German: delphisch Greek: δελφικός (el) (delfikós) Ancient Greek: Δελφικός (Delphikós) Hungarian: delphoi (hu) Italian: delfico (it) Polish: delficki (pl) Portuguese: délfico Romanian: please add this translation if you can Russian: дельфи́йский (ru) (delʹfíjskij) Spanish: délfico Swedish: delfisk (sv)