Medea

American

[mi-dee-uh] / mɪˈdi ə /

noun

Classical Mythology. a sorceress, daughter of Aeëtes and wife of Jason, whom she assisted in obtaining the Golden Fleece: when Jason deserted her, she killed their children.
(italics) a tragedy (431 b.c.) by Euripides.

Medea British

/ mɪˈdɪə /

noun

Greek myth a princess of Colchis, who assisted Jason in obtaining the Golden Fleece from her father

"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

Medea Cultural

In classical mythology, a sorceress who fell in love with Jason and helped him obtain the Golden Fleece. When Jason abandoned her to marry another woman, she took revenge by brutally murdering his young bride as well as the children she had borne him.

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.

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

Director Stone has previously helmed films such as The Dig and The Daughter, while his extensive theatre credits include productions of Yerma, Phaedra, Medea and Angels in America.

From BBC • May 7, 2025

“Munich Medea: Happy Family” carries the wrong trigger warning.

From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2024

Euripides first put Medea on the stage in ancient Greece, and she’s never left it.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 13, 2023

Jason, bent upon punishing this wickedness, turned to Medea for the help which had never failed him.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023