Coriolanus

American

[kawr-ee-uh-ley-nuhs, kor-] / ˌkɔr i əˈleɪ nəs, ˌkɒr- /

noun

Gaius (or Gnaeus) Marcius flourished late 5th century b.c., legendary Roman military hero.
(italics) a tragedy (1608?) by Shakespeare.

Coriolanus British

/ ˌkɒrɪəˈleɪnəs /

noun

Gaius Marcius (ˈɡaɪəs ˈmɑːsɪəs). 5th century _bc , a legendary Roman general, who allegedly led an army against Rome but was dissuaded from conquering it by his mother and wife

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The frequent shouting is particularly unfortunate because Coriolanus is by nature not a man of words.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Propaganda themes are not uncommon in the “Hunger Games” franchise, which originally followed teenage Katniss Everdeen as she reluctantly led a revolution against the tyrannical Panem government and its president, Coriolanus Snow.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 6, 2024

But audiences grew attached to the new heartthrob for his captivating performance as the younger, blonder version of Donald Sutherland’s bone-chilling authoritative dictator President Coriolanus Snow from the original “The Hunger Games” series.

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2023

Critics were mixed on this one, which is an origin story about future Panem President Coriolanus Snow.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 19, 2023

The coroner, in Mr. Wopsle’s hands, became Timon of Athens; the beadle, Coriolanus.

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023