Home › Glossary › Letter D

Delphi

Historical Location
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

The ancient Greek sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, famed for its oracle; a poetic symbol of prophecy, ambiguity, and divine revelation.

Detailed Definition
Delphi was considered the center of the world in Greek religion, where the Pythia delivered cryptic prophecies inspired by Apollo. It symbolized divine wisdom, ambiguity, and fate. Poets frequently reference Delphi to explore themes of knowledge, uncertainty, and the limits of human foresight—often using the oracle’s riddles as metaphors for life’s inscrutable paths.
Example
Example in poetry:
In Pindar’s Pythian Odes, Delphi is hymned as the navel of the world and seat of Apollo; Lord Byron’s “Childe Harold” laments Delphi’s ruined oracle and lost inspiration; In W.B. Yeats’ “Leda and the Swan,” Delphi’s silence follows divine violence; Modern poets use Delphi to explore the ambiguity of prophecy and truth; In eco-poetry, Delphi’s mountain setting symbolizes harmony between nature and the divine.
Additional Notes
Delphi was the sanctuary of Apollo and home of the Oracle, considered the “navel of the world.” In Pindar’s odes and Greek tragedy, it symbolizes divine will, ambiguity, and fate. Romantic poets lament its silence as emblematic of lost inspiration. In modern poetry, Delphi represents the search for truth amid uncertainty. Students should note its association with the Pythia, omphalos stone, and the maxim “Know thyself.”
Also Known As
Navel of the Earth Sanctuary of Apollo Oracle’s Seat Pythian Grove Pytho Pythia
Skip to main content