Euripides

American  

[yoo-rip-i-deez, yuh-] / jʊˈrɪp ɪˌdiz, jə- /

noun

1. c480–406? b.c., Greek dramatist.

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Euripides British  

/ jʊˈrɪpɪˌdiːz /

noun

1. ?480–406 _bc , Greek tragic dramatist. His plays, 18 of which are extant, include Alcestis, Medea, Hippolytus, Hecuba, Trojan Women, Electra, Iphigeneia in Tauris, Iphigeneia in Aulis, and Bacchae

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Euripides Cultural  

1. An ancient Greek dramatist. He was the author of numerous tragedies, including the Bacchae, Medea, and The Trojan Women. He often used the device of deus ex machina (literally, “a god from the machine”) to resolve his plots.

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Discover More

Today, a “deus ex machina” refers to any person or event that provides a sudden, unexpected solution to a problem or situation.

Other Word Forms

• Euripidean
  adjective

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Euripides

Awosanmi also served as the stage director for "Medaaye", an African adaptation of the Greek tragedy "Medea" by Euripides.

From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026

Did Euripides mean this last, bizarre twist to inspire hope, or despair?

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 6, 2026

Pochoda offers a twisty, modern take on Euripides, set at a luxurious 21st-century Greek resort.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2025

It depicts Dionysus journeying to Hades to retrieve a poet who can help Athens in crisis, culminating in a contest between Aeschylus and Euripides.

From Salon ● Apr. 13, 2025

I have taken this story entirely from two plays of Euripides, the fifth-century tragic poet.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton