Meanings
nounkouros (plural kouroi)
plural kouroi
- A sculpture of a naked youth in Ancient Greece, the male equivalent of a kore.
The smiling kouros is the first fully free-standing sculpture in art.
1990, Camille Paglia, Sexual Personae1 more example
A redstone kouros from Sounion, this strapping young Amsterdammer, translated into the slenderer grace of the modern graminivore.
1974, Guy Davenport, Tatlin!
Origin
- Ancient Greekκοῦρος
- Englishkouros
From Ionic Ancient Greek κοῦρος (koûros), variant of Attic κόρος (kóros, “boy”).
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
kouros. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kouros
MLA
“kouros.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kouros. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kouros,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kouros.
Source: kouros on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.