Greek gift
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A treacherous gift. The refer- ence is to the Wooden Horse of Troy (q.vJ), or to Virgil's Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes (&neid, ii, 49), "I fear the Greeks, even when they offer gifts.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Greek gift” mean?
A treacherous gift. The refer- ence is to the Wooden Horse of Troy (q.vJ), or to Virgil's Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes (&neid, ii, 49), "I fear the Greeks, even when they offer gifts.
Is “Greek gift” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.