Sisyphus

[sis-uh-fuhs]

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. a son of Aeolus and ruler of Corinth, noted for his trickery: he was punished in Tartarus by being compelled to roll a stone to the top of a slope, the stone always escaping him near the top and rolling down again.

Sisyphus

/ ˈsɪsɪfəs /

noun

1. Greek myth a king of Corinth, punished in Hades for his misdeeds by eternally having to roll a heavy stone up a hill: every time he approached the top, the stone escaped his grasp and rolled to the bottom

Sisyphus

1. A king in classical mythology who offended Zeus and was punished in Hades by being forced to roll an enormous boulder to the top of a steep hill. Every time the boulder neared the top, it would roll back down, and Sisyphus would have to start over.

A difficult and futile endeavor may be called a “labor of Sisyphus” or a “Sisyphean task.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Sisyphus¹

From Latin Sisyphus, from Greek Sísyphos; probably of pre-Greek origin