Phryne
name
name ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Proper Noun
- 1 An Ancient Greek courtesan of the 4th century BC, reputedly the model for Praxiteles' Aphrodite of Cnidus and famously tried for the capital charge of impiety, during which trial she allegedly bared her breasts before the judges. historical
"The suffrages were recently divided between Mademoiselle Lange and Madame Tallien — the Helen and Phryne of the nation."
Example
More examples"The suffrages were recently divided between Mademoiselle Lange and Madame Tallien — the Helen and Phryne of the nation."
Etymology
From Ancient Greek Φρύνη (Phrúnē), from φρύνη (phrúnē, “toad”), a nickname often given to prostitutes of the time.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.