Theseus

American  

[thee-see-uhs, -syoos] / ˈθi si əs, -syus /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. an Attic hero, the husband of Phaedra, father of Hippolytus, and slayer of the Minotaur and the robber Procrustes.

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Theseus British  

/ ˈθiːsɪəs, θɪˈsiːən /

noun

1. Greek myth a hero of Attica, noted for his many great deeds, among them the slaying of the Minotaur, the conquest of the Amazons, whose queen he married, and participation in the Calydonian hunt

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Theseus Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a hero of the city of Athens (see also Athens). He killed Procrustes and the Minotaur and made war on the Amazons, subsequently marrying their queen, Hippolyta.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Thesean
  adjective

Example Sentences

Theseus managed to kill the Minotaur, but still needed help from a princess to escape.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 15, 2024

"You can come out of them with feelings of secret and victorious expansion, as if you were Theseus after slaying the Minotaur."

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2024

“And sort of like the ship of Theseus, by the end they actually have a completely different revue,” said Ellison, who is directing the opener in Brooklyn.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2024

In 12-day autumn festivals they wove hands together and circled chestnut, walnut and hazelnut trees, their dance through labyrinthine groves like Ariadne’s gift to Theseus.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2023

“In the old days, Ariadne’s string guided Theseus out of the maze. It was a navigation instrument of some kind, invented by Daedalus. AndChris Rodriguez was mumbling about string.”

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan