Erebus

American  

[er-uh-buhs] / ˈɛr ə bəs /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. the darkness under the earth, imagined either as the abode of sinners after death or of all the dead.

2. Mount, a volcano in Antarctica, on Ross Island. 13,202 feet (4,024 meters).

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Erebus ¹ British  

/ ˈɛrɪbəs /

noun

1. the god of darkness, son of Chaos and brother of Night

2. the darkness below the earth, thought to be the abode of the dead or the region they pass through on their way to Hades

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Erebus ² British  

/ ˈɛrɪbəs /

noun

1. a volcano in Antarctica, on Ross Island: discovered by Sir James Ross in 1841 and named after his ship. Height: 3794 m (12 448 ft)

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Etymology

Origin of Erebus

< Latin < Greek Érebos; cognate with Armenian erek evening, Sanskrit rájas darkness, Gothic riquis darkness

Example Sentences

The Victorian-era HMS Erebus, built in Pembroke Dock in 1826, became part of nautical folklore after it vanished in the mid-19th Century.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

The Erebus wind farm, set to be built off the coast of Pembrokeshire, would become Wales' first floating offshore wind farm, following two projects already operating in Scotland.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2026

Sensors being installed this month along the rim of Erebus could help researchers understand the threat the wildly active volcano poses to McMurdo and New Zealand’s Scott Base next door.

From Science Magazine • Dec. 2, 2024

Shero’s team, for example, requires a helicopter or snowmobiles for a daily commute from McMurdo over the frozen Ross Sea to the foot of snow-covered Mount Erebus, an active volcano.

From Science Magazine • Sep. 13, 2023

In 1845, Franklin took two Royal Navy ships, Erebus and Terror, and a crew of 129 into the Arctic to search for a sea route between the North Atlantic and the Pacific.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong