The ruling by the court gives a green light to all gay and lesbian groups in Greece who want to use the term.

"This is a good decision for lesbians everywhere," said Vassilis Chirdaris, lawyer for OLKE, the Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece.

"A court in Athens could not stop people around the world from using it."

"It was ridiculous."

Although the lawsuit was widely interpreted as homophobic, the plaintiffs denied that this was the case.

"My sister can't say she is a lesbian," said Dimitris Lambrou, one of the litigants.

"Our geographical designation has been usurped by certain ladies who have no connection whatsoever with Lesbos."

"This is not an aggressive act against gay women."

"Let them visit Lesbos and get married and whatever they like."

"We just want [the group] to remove the word lesbian from their title."

"The word lesbian has been associated with gay women for the past few decades but we have been lesbians for thousands of years."

Lesbos was home to the poetess Sappho in the 6th century BC, who was renowned for her poetry in praise of same-sex love.

But the islanders were in denial about Sappho's proclivities -- an idea that modern scholars find laughable.

"The term lesbian to define women who love women exists in every dictionary of just about all UN member nations," said Andrea Gilbert, spokesperson for Athens Pride 2008 and a member of OLKE.

"The term is recognised universally."

Some think that the case was symptomatic of a culture that is still in the grip of Orthodox Christianity.

"The church is literally out of control in its approach towards us, the media full of hate speech and the conservative government both hypocritical and indifferent," said Grigoris Valianatos, a well known gay rights activist.

"This trial is a reflection of the homophobia that prevails in Greece."

The plaintiffs were ordered to pay costs in the amount of 230 euros (£182).