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Caliban

American  
[kal-uh-ban] / ˈkæl əˌbæn /

noun

  1. a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest, described as the half-human native inhabitant of the island, who is enslaved by the character Prospero.


Caliban British  
/ ˈkælɪˌbæn /

noun

  1. a brutish or brutalized man

"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

Etymology

Origin of Caliban

First recorded in 1610–15; probably a variant of cannibal ( def. ) or Carib ( def. )

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.

But Prospero is jolted into an awareness that Caliban and his confederates are plotting “a foul conspiracy” against his life, and he abruptly ends the show.

From Los Angeles Times

“The isle is full of noises,” sings Caliban, and on Tuesday night it certainly was.

From New York Times

Characterizing Jones’ place in the theater world, the Times labeled him in 2012 “a stalwart New York actor” equally comfortable playing Othello or Caliban as he was playing a serial killer in a contemporary drama set on Rikers Island.

From Seattle Times

In the Act New Directions: 64 pages, $19 Binstead’s Safari New Directions: 224 pages, $16 Mrs. Caliban New Direction: 128 pages, $14 If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

From Los Angeles Times

In addition to “Caliban” and “Safari,” this month New Directions rereleased her 1987 short novel, “In the Act,” as part of its Storybook series.

From Los Angeles Times