Charybdis

American  

[kuh-rib-dis] / kəˈrɪb dɪs /

noun

1. Modern Name Garofalo.  Modern Name Galofalo.  a whirlpool in the Strait of Messina off the NE coast of Sicily.

2. Classical Mythology. a daughter of Gaia and Poseidon, a monster mentioned in Homer and later identified with the whirlpool Charybdis.

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Charybdis British  

/ kəˈrɪbdɪs /

noun

1. a ship-devouring monster in classical mythology, identified with a whirlpool off the north coast of Sicily, lying opposite Scylla on the Italian coast Compare Scylla

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Other Word Forms

• Charybdian adjective

Etymology

Origin of Charybdis

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English Karibdous, Karybdys, from Latin Charybdis, from Greek Chárybdis; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

Mr Eskdale told how HMS Charybdis was torpedoed off the Channel Islands in late 1943.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2025

Charybdis, a mythical female sea monster, is often depicted as a bottomless sucking whirlpool, but there’s power in accepting your hunger, whether it’s for food or love or armies crossing the sea in boats.

From Slate • Oct. 28, 2024

Dominion is trying to remove some of the uncertainty with its new ship, Charybdis, which is named for a mythical Greek sea monster.

From New York Times • Dec. 11, 2023

In Texas, Dominion is also currently building the Charybdis, the first Jones Act-compliant offshore wind-installation vessel and says it strongly supports the Act.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 15, 2023

As we got closer to the monsters, the sound of Charybdis got louder and louder—a horrible wet roar like the galaxy’s biggest toilet being flushed.

From "The Sea of Monsters" by Rick Riordan