Hercules
Americannoun
-
Also called Alcides. Classical Mythology. Also Heracles a celebrated hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, possessing exceptional strength: among his many adventures were the twelve labors for his cousin Eurystheus, performed in order to gain immortality.
-
Astronomy. a northern constellation, between Lyra and Corona Borealis.
noun
-
a large constellation in the N hemisphere lying between Lyra and Corona Borealis
-
a conspicuous crater in the NW quadrant of the moon, about 70 kilometres in diameter
noun
-
Also called: Alcides. classical myth a hero noted for his great strength, courage, and for the performance of twelve immense labours
-
a man of outstanding strength or size
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Hercules
From Latin Herculēs, Herclēs, Greek; see Heracles
Compare meaning
How does hercules compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
See Examples For:
The expedition used the remotely operated vehicle Hercules, which recorded extensive video footage that was later archived for public access and annotated by researchers at UH Mānoa.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026
The Hercules bench set, composed of five seats made from the same slab of eucalyptus, $12,000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
Talking about the victims, but without mentioning the Hercules plane directly, he wrote: "This piece of scrap metal was bought in 2020 and came down, let's ask why".
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
The crash is the second by a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in under a month.
From Barron's ● Mar. 23, 2026
Their son, Electryon, was the grandfather of Hercules.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Nova V1674 Herculis was one of the fastest ever recorded, rising and fading within days.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 31, 2025
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will run the 100 meters at the Herculis EBS meeting in Monaco on July 21, two weeks before his final world championships appearance in London, organizers said on Wednesday.
From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2017
Bernard Lagat, a former Washington State standout, improved his American record in the 5,000 meters when he finished second in the Diamond League Herculis meet in Monaco.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 23, 2011
By last week it had jumped 13 magnitudes to the first, acquired a name, Nova Herculis 1934.
From Time Magazine Archive
"Monaco, or Portus Herculis Monœci, was well known to the ancients," said the Professor.
From Mentone, Cairo, and Corfu by Woolson, Constance Fenimore
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
