Theseus

American  

[thee-see-uhs, -syoos] / ˈθi si əs, -syus /

noun

Classical Mythology.

1. an Attic hero, the husband of Phaedra, father of Hippolytus, and slayer of the Minotaur and the robber Procrustes.

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Theseus British  

/ ˈθiːsɪəs, θɪˈsiːən /

noun

1. Greek myth a hero of Attica, noted for his many great deeds, among them the slaying of the Minotaur, the conquest of the Amazons, whose queen he married, and participation in the Calydonian hunt

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Theseus Cultural  

1. In classical mythology, a hero of the city of Athens (see also Athens). He killed Procrustes and the Minotaur and made war on the Amazons, subsequently marrying their queen, Hippolyta.

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Other Word Forms

• Thesean adjective

Example Sentences

Acting since his early 20s, Turner broke through playing Theseus in 2022’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” followed by last winter’s “The Boys in the Boat,” directed by George Clooney.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 18, 2024

“And sort of like the ship of Theseus, by the end they actually have a completely different revue,” said Ellison, who is directing the opener in Brooklyn.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2024

A film like "Ship of Theseus" is brilliant in Indian cinema and widely acclaimed because it is about transitioning.

From Salon • Sep. 20, 2022

We are tempted to conceptualize identity in terms of persistence, but the Ship of Theseus challenges the commonly held intuition regarding how to make sense of identity.

From Textbooks • Jun. 15, 2022

He had carried off their Queen and they tried to rescue her, but Theseus defeated them.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton