Orestes
[aw-res-teez, oh-res‐]
- Classical Mythology. the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and the brother of Electra and Iphigenia: he avenged the murder of Agamemnon by killing Clytemenestra and her lover, Aegisthus, then was pursued by the Furies until saved by Athena.
- (italics) a tragedy (408 b.c.) by Euripides.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for orestes
Historical Examples
Orestes also killed his mother; and we do not judge Orestes as we judge Nero.
Short Studies on Great SubjectsJames Anthony Froude
And the little Orestes will wail, not knowing what he doeth, seeing he is but a babe.
Then Orestes would know the manner of the death by which he must die.
It was an Orestes whom his sister Electra was raising in her arms on his bed of pain.
The Gods are AthirstAnatole France
She is married,” said Orestes, “to this Pylades, whom thou seest.
Orestes
- Greek myth the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, who killed his mother and her lover Aegisthus in revenge for their murder of his father
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Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for orestes
Orestes
son of Agamemnon and Clytaemnestra, from Greek Orestes, literally "mountaineer," from oros "mountain" (see oread).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Orestes
[(aw-res-teez)]
In classical mythology, the son of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra, and brother of Electra. Agamemnon was killed by Clytemnestra and her lover, Aegisthus. To avenge the murder, Orestes and Electra killed them both.
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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.