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Midas

[ mahy-duhs ]
/ ˈmaɪ dəs /
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noun
Classical Mythology. a Phrygian king, son of Gordius, who was given by Dionysus the power of turning whatever he touched into gold.
a person of great wealth or great moneymaking ability.
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How to use Midas in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for Midas (1 of 2)

Midas
/ (ˈmaɪdəs) /

noun
Greek legend a king of Phrygia given the power by Dionysus of turning everything he touched to gold
the Midas touch ability to make money

British Dictionary definitions for Midas (2 of 2)

MIDAS
/ (ˈmaɪdəs) /

n acronym for
Missile Defence Alarm System
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

Cultural definitions for Midas

Midas

In classical mythology, a king who was granted one wish by the god Dionysus. Greedy for riches, Midas wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. He soon regretted his request. When he tried to eat, his food became inedible metal. When he embraced his daughter, she turned into a golden statue. On the instruction of Dionysus, he washed in a river and lost his touch of gold.

notes for Midas

A person who is very successful or easily acquires riches is sometimes said to have a “Midas touch.”
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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