Heracles

American  

[her-uh-kleez] / ˈhɛr əˌkliz /

noun

1. Hercules.

2. Also called Heracles Furens.  (italics)  a tragedy (420? b.c.) by Euripides.

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Heracles British  

/ ˈhɛrəˌkliːz /

noun

1. the usual name (in Greek) for Hercules 1

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Other Word Forms

• Heraclean adjective

Etymology

Origin of Heracles

From Greek Hēraklês, literally, “having the glory of Hera,” equivalent to Hḗra + -klēs, akin to kléos “glory, fame”; Hera

Compare meaning

How does heracles compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Heracles vs. Hercules

Example Sentences

The most famous of these, perhaps, is the Greek myth in which Hera pushes away the baby Heracles from her bosom, and her breast milk spills from horizon to horizon.

From Scientific American

He has made just five appearances for Celta this season, all as a substitute, totaling 54 minutes, following his transfer from the Dutch club Heracles.

From Seattle Times

Never mind Zeus or Heracles or any of the other Greek gods.

From Los Angeles Times

It has produced Euripides’ “The Bacchae” in rural communities affected by the opioid crisis, “The Madness of Heracles” in neighborhoods afflicted by gun violence and gang wars, and Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Bound” in prisons.

From Seattle Times

“It’s an old wives’ tale,” said Eric Seufert, who founded the marketing consultancy Heracles Media and runs a popular blog for app developers.

From Washington Post