Agamemnon

[ ag-uh-mem-non, -nuhn ]

/ ˌæg əˈmɛm nɒn, -nən /

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noun

Classical Mythology. a king of Mycenae, a son of Atreus and brother of Menelaus. He led the Greeks in the Trojan War and was murdered by Clytemnestra, his wife, upon his return from Troy.

(italics) a tragedy (458 b.c.) by Aeschylus.

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Origin of Agamemnon

<Greek Agamémnon- (stem of Agamémnōn), <*Agaménmon-, equivalent to aga- great + men- (truncation of Menelaus, meaning king) + -mon- suffix used in shortened names

Words nearby Agamemnon

agalite, agalloch, agama, A game, Agamede, Agamemnon, agamete, agamic, agamid, agammaglobulinemia, agamogenesis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Agamemnon in a sentence

What is interesting about these mythical epidemics, in relation to our present is what they reveal about the characters of the political leaders, Agamemnon and Oedipus.
What the Greek Myths Can Teach Us About Our Moment of Crisis|Charlotte Higgins|January 19, 2022|Time
Agamemnon eventually agrees to return the woman, but he’ll grab Achilles’ enslaved captive, Briseis, in compensation, enraging Achilles and prompting his prolonged sulk in his tent.
What the Greek Myths Can Teach Us About Our Moment of Crisis|Charlotte Higgins|January 19, 2022|Time
We amplified the scene with Agamemnon to let people understand that Achilles is not acting out of pettiness.
Denis O’Hare Talks About One-Man Show “An Iliad”|Janice Kaplan|March 25, 2012|DAILY BEAST
When Paris kills Agamemnon in one of the film's final scenes, it's enough to make you spit out your soda.
Hollywood's Dumbest Casting Choices|Marlow Stern|February 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST

About nine o'clock one black ball was run up to the fore of the Agamemnon and a gun was fired to enforce attention to the signal.
The British Expedition to the Crimea|William Howard Russell
Nelson being with the troops, the "Agamemnon" with some frigates was anchored north of the city, Hood with his ships south of it.
The Life of Nelson, Vol. I (of 2)|A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan
My heart is almost broke to find the Agamemnon lying here, little better than a wreck.
The Life of Nelson, Vol. I (of 2)|A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan
The "Princess Royal" and "Agamemnon," which came next, could only engage at long range.
The Life of Nelson, Vol. I (of 2)|A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan
Immediately behind the "Agamemnon" came the "Britannia," carrying Hotham's flag.
The Life of Nelson, Vol. I (of 2)|A. T. (Alfred Thayer) Mahan

British Dictionary definitions for Agamemnon

Agamemnon

/ (ˌæɡəˈmɛmnɒn) /

noun

Greek myth a king of Mycenae who led the Greeks at the siege of Troy. On his return home he was murdered by his wife Clytemnestra and her lover AegisthusSee also Menelaus

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

Cultural definitions for Agamemnon

Agamemnon

[ (ag-uh-mem-non) ]

In classical mythology, the king who led the Greeks against Troy in the Trojan War (see also Trojan War). To obtain favorable winds for the Greek fleet sailing to Troy, Agamemnon sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia to the goddess Artemis and so came under a curse. After he returned home victorious, he was murdered by his wife, Clytemnestra, and her lover, Aegisthus.