Ouroboros
Americannoun
-
a representation of a snake or dragon eating its own tail, originating in Ancient Egyptian and Greek iconography and used as a symbolic representation of wholeness, eternity, or death and rebirth.
-
anything that resembles or calls to mind a snake or dragon eating its own tail.
The arguments and debate about transcendence can all too easily become an Ouroboros of circular logic.
Etymology
Origin of Ouroboros
First recorded in 1920–25; from Greek ourobóros (drákōn) “tail-devouring (snake),” from our(á) “tail” + -o- ( def. ) + -bóros (noun derivative of bibrṓskein “to devour”); see dragon ( def. )
Explanation
The ouroboros is an ancient spiritual symbol dating back to the 14th century BCE. Depicted as a snake or dragon consuming its own tail, it forms a circular shape representing infinity and the cyclic nature of the universe. Also sometimes spelled uroboros, this term comes from a Greek word meaning "tail-eater." It was first used in Ancient Egypt and is seen in the tomb of Tutankhamun. It later became a staple of medieval mysticism, representing the eternal cycle of destruction and rebirth. It also illustrates the "All is One" philosophy of alchemy, an ancient practice that combined chemistry and philosophy in a quest to transform and perfect matter.
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.
It’s like a malevolent Ouroboros, where we can’t tell which is the head and which the tail, or which end is swallowing the other.
From Salon ● Nov. 16, 2025
By Ke Huy Quan’s account, his starring role as Ouroboros in Season 2 of ‘Loki,’ his MCU debut, was the realization of a dream and the cap to a year filled with triumph.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 4, 2024
Image: Nintendo To add an additional element of combat to an already overloaded system, characters have the ability to fuse into beings called Ouroboros, granting them stronger attacks for a limited amount of time.
From The Verge ● Jul. 26, 2022
Peter Ibruegger Studio London-based artist and designer Peter Ibruegger introduced Ouroboros, a new range of tiles named after the ancient symbol of eternity: a snake consuming its own tail.
From Architectural Digest ● Feb. 13, 2015
“The alchemical worm Ouroboros of ancient myth. Its teeth are sunk in its tail.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
