Tempe

/ˈtɛmpi/ noun

Definition

A city in Arizona, home to Arizona State University; also refers to the Vale of Tempe, a valley in Greece associated with Apollo in mythology.

Etymology

Named after the Vale of Tempe in Thessaly, Greece, which in Greek mythology was sacred to Apollo and known for its natural beauty. Arizona settlers chose this classical name in the 1870s to evoke an idyllic location.

Kelly Says

The original Tempe in Greece was considered so beautiful that ancient Greeks believed it was where Apollo purified himself after slaying the Python at Delphi. Arizona's Tempe was named by an English settler who thought the Salt River valley resembled this mythological paradise.

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