any of the Greeks who fled to the mountains after the 15th-century Turkish conquest of Greece and whose descendants survived as brigands into the 19th century
Derived forms
klephtic (ˈklephtic)
adjective
Word origin
C19: from Modern Greek klephtēs, from Greek kleptēs thief
klepht in American English
(klɛft)
noun
1.
a member of the Greek patriot bands who held out after the Turkish conquest of Greece in the 15th cent.
2.
a brigand
Word origin
ModGr klephtēs, robber < Gr kleptēs: see kleptomania