Lethe

American  

[lee-thee] / ˈli θi /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a river in Hades whose water caused forgetfulness of the past in those who drank of it.

2. (usually lowercase) forgetfulness; oblivion.

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Lethe British  

/ ˈliːθɪ /

noun

1. Greek myth a river in Hades that caused forgetfulness in those who drank its waters

2. forgetfulness

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Lethe Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a river flowing through Hades. The souls of the dead were forced to drink of its waters, which made them forget what they had done, said, and suffered when they were alive.

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Other Word Forms

• Lethean
  adjective
• Lethied
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Lethe

< Latin < Greek, special use of lḗthē forgetfulness, akin to lanthánesthai to forget

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lethe

The team designated it a new species, Nanotyrannus lethaeus, referencing the River Lethe from Greek mythology -- a fitting tribute to a species "forgotten" for decades.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2025

So John Gradus is a journeyer in his own right, learning where he went wrong in life to reach the Lethe and reincarnate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025

Meanwhile, the dean of the college does secret double duty as the faculty liaison with a shadowy organization called Lethe House.

From New York Times ● Oct. 3, 2019

But Sarah Ruhl's writing does not translate well across the pond – or over Lethe.

From The Guardian ● May 8, 2010

“I was hanging in that block of ice suspended over the River Lethe for six months, and we didn’t even get any media attention.”

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• inattention