spartan
SPAR-tuhn · adjective
GreekEnglish
Origin
This word comes from the ancient Spartans, who were famous for their discipline, simplicity, and toughness. Something described this way is being compared to them by analogy.
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Journey
The word's use has stayed close to its origin: it's still invoked whenever someone wants to evoke that same austere, no-frills toughness the Spartans were known for.