Hercules
Americannoun
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Herculis
genitive
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Also called Alcides. Classical Mythology. Also Heracles 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.
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Astronomy. a northern constellation, between Lyra and Corona Borealis.
noun
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Also called: Alcides. classical myth a hero noted for his great strength, courage, and for the performance of twelve immense labours
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a man of outstanding strength or size
noun
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a large constellation in the N hemisphere lying between Lyra and Corona Borealis
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a conspicuous crater in the NW quadrant of the moon, about 70 kilometres in diameter
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of Hercules
From Latin Herculēs, Herclēs, Greek; see Heracles
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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The expedition used the remotely operated vehicle Hercules, which recorded extensive video footage that was later archived for public access and annotated by researchers at UH Mānoa.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 8, 2026
The Hercules bench set, composed of five seats made from the same slab of eucalyptus, $12,000.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
Talking about the victims, but without mentioning the Hercules plane directly, he wrote: "This piece of scrap metal was bought in 2020 and came down, let's ask why".
From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026
The crash is the second by a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in under a month.
From Barron's ● Mar. 23, 2026
On his way to Atlas to ask him about the Golden Apples, Hercules came to the Caucasus, where he freed Prometheus, slaying the eagle that preyed on him.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Nova V1674 Herculis was one of the fastest ever recorded, rising and fading within days.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 31, 2025
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will run the 100 meters at the Herculis EBS meeting in Monaco on July 21, two weeks before his final world championships appearance in London, organizers said on Wednesday.
From Reuters ● Jun. 22, 2017
Bernard Lagat, a former Washington State standout, improved his American record in the 5,000 meters when he finished second in the Diamond League Herculis meet in Monaco.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 23, 2011
Famed Nova Herculis of 1934 became one of the twelve brightest stars, but it started from the 14th magnitude.
From Time Magazine Archive
In 1782 Sir William Herschel saw one of the stars of Zeta Herculis eclipse the other.
From Personal Recollections, from Early Life to Old Age, of Mary Somerville by Mary Somerville
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