Charon
Classical Mythology. the ferryman who conveyed the souls of the dead across the Styx.
(usually used ironically) any ferryman.
Astronomy. the natural satellite of Pluto, discovered in 1978.
Other words from Charon
- Cha·ro·ni·an [kuh-roh-nee-uhn], /kəˈroʊ ni ən/, Cha·ron·ic [kuh-ron-ik], /kəˈrɒn ɪk/, adjective
Words Nearby Charon
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Charon in a sentence
In particular, Pluto could be ringed: we know it has at least five moons, which, other than Charon, are tiny.
Chariklo, a Minor Planet Nicknamed a “Centaur,” Discovered to Have Rings | Matthew R. Francis | April 6, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTOrdering a hand to the wheel, to keep her close after the Charon, I again traversed the deck to examine her forward.
Hurricane Hurry | W.H.G. KingstonInstead of at once proceeding on her voyage across the Atlantic, the old Charon was, we found, ordered to put into Cork harbour.
Hurricane Hurry | W.H.G. KingstonIn preparing a body for burial, the Greeks took a piece of money and put it into the mouth, to give to the ferryman Charon.
The Mysteries of All Nations | James GrantNo spirit is allowed to enter the leaky craft until he has first paid Charon the fee of a small coin called the obolus.
Stories of Old Greece and Rome | Emilie Kip Baker
At the end of this time Charon grudgingly ferries them over the river free of charge.
Stories of Old Greece and Rome | Emilie Kip Baker
British Dictionary definitions for Charon (1 of 2)
/ (ˈkɛərən) /
Greek myth the ferryman who brought the dead across the rivers Styx or Acheron to Hades
British Dictionary definitions for Charon (2 of 2)
/ (ˈkɛərən) /
the only known satellite of Pluto, discovered in 1978
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
Scientific definitions for Charon
[ kâr′ən ]
The largest of Pluto's three moons. Charon is just over half Pluto's size and orbits it so closely that it was not discovered as a distinct body until 1978. Although Pluto is covered with methane ice, Charon appears to be covered with water ice.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Cultural definitions for Charon
[ (kair-uhn) ]
In classical mythology, the boatman who carried the souls of the dead across the river Styx and into Hades, the underworld.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Browse