Hercules

[hur-kyuh-leez]

noun, genitive Her·cu·lis

[hur-kyuh-lis] /ˈhɜr kyə lɪs/ for 2.

Also Heracles. Also called Alcides. Classical Mythology. 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.Compare labors of Hercules.
Astronomy. a northern constellation, between Lyra and Corona Borealis.

Origin of Hercules

< Latin Herculēs, Herclēs < Greek; see Heracles

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for hercules

behemoth, titan, mountain, whopper, monster, colossus, hulk, bulk, mammoth, elephant, whale, ogre, leviathan, Hercules, cyclops, Goliath, giant, Gargantua, Samson, cetacean

Examples from the Web for hercules

Contemporary Examples of hercules

The dealership called the Hercules team “right then and there,” Pedro Sr. said.
Mexico’s Murderous SWAT Teams
Jason McGahan
November 10, 2014
The public debut of the Hercules Group is a day that not many in Matamoros are likely to forget.
Mexico’s Murderous SWAT Teams
Jason McGahan
November 10, 2014
In her remarks, the Hercules Group was synonymous with peace and safety.
Mexico’s Murderous SWAT Teams
Jason McGahan
November 10, 2014
Outside, on the roof, the clock is flanked by more Beaux Arts touches: statues of Hercules, Mercury, and Minerva.
Grand Central Terminal: 100 Years, 100 Facts
Sarah Begley
February 1, 2013

Historical Examples of hercules

But his astonishment could hardly have been greater than was that of Hercules, the next moment.
The Three Golden Apples
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Hercules then asked whereabouts the Old One was most likely to be met with.
The Three Golden Apples
Nathaniel Hawthorne
And what should Hercules espy there, but an old man, fast asleep!
The Three Golden Apples
Nathaniel Hawthorne
"Come and take it off my shoulders, then," answered Hercules, lifting his club.
Tanglewood Tales
Nathaniel Hawthorne
His countenance was that of an Ogre on the shoulders of a Hercules.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Vol. 10, Issue 262, July 7, 1827
Various

British Dictionary definitions for hercules

Hercules

Heracles or Herakles

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

Derived FormsHerculean, Heraclean or Heraklean, adjective

Hercules

noun Latin genitive Herculeis (ˌhɜːkjʊˈliːɪs)

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

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

Word Origin and History for hercules

Hercules

hero, son of Zeus and Alcmene, c.1200 (originally in reference to the Pillars of Hercules), also Ercules, from Latin Hercles, from Greek Herakles, literally "Glory of Hera;" from Hera (q.v.) + kleos "glory, renown" (see Clio). Used figuratively of strength since late 14c. Vocative form Hercule was a common Roman interjection (especially me Hercule!) "assuredly, certainly."

hercules in Science

Hercules

[hûr′kyə-lēz′]

A constellation in the Northern Hemisphere near Lyra and Corona Borealis.

hercules in Culture

Hercules

One of the greatest heroes of classical mythology, he is supposed to have been the strongest man on earth. He was renowned for completing twelve seemingly impossible tasks — the Labors of Hercules. One of these labors was the cleaning of the Augean stables; another was the killing of the nine-headed Hydra. Hercules was a son of Zeus.