1. a person who loves or admires Greek culture, history, or civilization
Usage: often used historically to refer to non-Greeks who supported Greek independence or studied Greek antiquity

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of a person who loves or admires Greek culture

Examples

• Lord Byron was a famous philhellene who fought for Greek independence during the Ottoman occupation.
• The museum's philhellene director spent decades collecting ancient Greek artifacts.
• Many 19th-century European intellectuals were philhellenes who idealized ancient Athens.
• Her philhellene interests led her to study classical Greek and travel throughout Greece.
• The philhellene movement of the 1820s inspired many Western Europeans to support the Greek War of Independence.