Poseidon
Americannoun
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the ancient Greek god of the sea, with the power to cause earthquakes, identified by the Romans with Neptune.
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Military. a 34-foot (10-meter), submarine-launched U.S. ballistic missile with up to 10 warheads and a range of 2,800 miles (4,502 km).
noun
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Roman counterpart: Neptune. Greek myth the god of the sea and of earthquakes; brother of Zeus, Hades, and Hera. He is generally depicted in art wielding a trident
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a US submarine-launched ballistic missile
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.
Instead of Gods like Poseidon and Zeus playing an integral role in the story, they are left as unseen forces that motivate the characters’ actions.
From Salon ● Jul. 18, 2026
The angry sea god Poseidon is reduced to rumors; mighty Zeus withheld to a few well-timed thunderclaps.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2026
The U.S. sent a P-8A Poseidon spy plane but elected not to send a destroyer as it had in the past.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026
The U.S. brought in P-8 Poseidon “sub-hunter” aircraft and AC-130J gunships to help with the boarding operation of the ship south of Iceland, according to flight-tracking data and two U.S. officials.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
Poseidon had a splendid palace beneath the sea, but he was oftener to be found in Olympus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
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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.