מרתון

Hebrew

Alternative forms

מאראתון (excessive spelling)

Etymology

Borrowed from French marathon (and reinforced by cognates), coined in 1894 by linguist Michel Bréal for the first modern time Olympic Games after Ancient Greek Μαραθών (Marathṓn), a town northeast of Athens. Phidippides the Greek ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to deliver a message regarding the Battle of Marathon. The modern sport of marathon running is based on a run approximately the same distance.

Noun

מָרָתוֹן • (máraton) m (plural indefinite מָרָתוֹנִים, plural construct מָרָתוֹנֵי־)

A marathon, road race.
(figuratively, by extension) Any extended or sustained activity, a marathon.