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Ulysses

American  
[yoo-lis-eez] / juˈlɪs iz /

noun

  1. Classical Mythology. Latin name for Odysseus.

  2. (italics) a psychological novel (1922) by James Joyce.

  3. a male given name.


Ulysses British  
/ ˈjuːlɪˌsiːz, juːˈlɪsiːz /

noun

  1. the Latin name of Odysseus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Ulysses Cultural  
  1. The Roman name of the Greek hero Odysseus.


Discover More

The Irish author James Joyce adopted the name for the title of his masterpiece of the early twentieth century, which is, in part, a retelling of the myth of Odysseus.

In the Aeneid of Virgil, which was written in Latin, Odysseus is called Ulysses.

Example Sentences

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The Command of the Army Act required presidential orders to flow through Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, whom Congress trusted, and it barred the president from removing Grant without the Senate’s approval.

From Slate ● Sep. 16, 2026

Ulysses S. Grant Jr., the son of the president who was the Union’s victorious commander, was a guest at Sandberg’s when he died there in his sleep in September 1929.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2026

Ulysses Grant was serving his second term as president, and his administration had been hobbled by corruption scandals.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 30, 2026

When President Ulysses S. Grant sent the Declaration of Independence to Philadelphia to be displayed, the public was appalled by its condition, which led the government to establish the National Archives.

From Salon ● Jun. 30, 2026

“I’ve been inspired by Ulysses to write a little poetry of my own,” said Tootie.

From "Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures" by Kate DiCamillo

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