Ulysses

American  

[yoo-lis-eez] / yuˈlɪs iz /

noun

1. Classical Mythology. Latin name for Odysseus.

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

3. a male given name.

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Ulysses British  

/ ˈjuːlɪˌsiːz, juːˈlɪsiːz /

noun

1. the Latin name of Odysseus

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Ulysses Cultural  

1. The Roman name of the Greek hero Odysseus.

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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

Ulysses S. Grant called the war “one of the most unjust ever waged.”

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

In the 19th century, Americans frequently elected victorious generals—Andrew Jackson, Ulysses Grant, Zachary Taylor—as president.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 1, 2026

Data from the Ulysses spacecraft showed that the fast solar wind originates mainly from vast coronal holes near the poles.

From Science Daily • Oct. 14, 2025

On the postcard promoting the show, he quoted James Joyce’s Ulysses, “History is the Nightmare from which I am trying to Awaken.”

From Slate • Jun. 6, 2025

She walked over to the typewriter and stood looking down at Ulysses and at the words on the page.

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