Minotaur

[ min-uh-tawr ]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. a monster, the offspring of Pasiphaë and the Cretan bull, that had the head of a bull on the body of a man: housed in the Cretan Labyrinth, it was fed on human flesh until Theseus, helped by Ariadne, killed it.
2. any person or thing that devours or destroys.

Minotaur

/ ˈmaɪnətɔː /

noun

1. Greek myth a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man. It was kept in the Labyrinth in Crete, feeding on human flesh, until destroyed by Theseus

Minotaur

1. In classical mythology , a monster, half man and half bull. The Minotaur was born to the queen of Crete , Pasiphaë, after she mated with a sacred bull. The king Minos, to hide his shame, had Daedalus construct the Labyrinth in which to hide the monster. Minos then forced the Athenians to send as tribute fourteen of their young people, seven men and seven women, to be locked in the Labyrinth for the Minotaur to eat. To stop the slaughter, the hero Theseus volunteered to enter the Labyrinth and fight the Minotaur. On the instructions of the king's daughter, Theseus brought in a ball of thread, which he unwound as he went through. He found the Minotaur, killed it, and then used the thread to find his way out of the maze.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Minotaur¹

< Latin Mīnōtaurus < Greek Mīnṓtauros, equivalent to Mī́nō ( s ) Minos + taúros bull

Word History and Origins

Origin of Minotaur¹

C14: via Latin from Greek Minōtauros, from Minos + tauros bull

Example Sentences

Instead of a man skiing in one and a cowboy riding a bull in the other, the two actually represent the images of the Minotaur.

From The Daily Beast

Remember the mythic Minotaur (a Taurus whose desire has run amok)?

From The Daily Beast

Like the Minotaur in his labyrinth, you set up a maze others must work through to get to the true you.

From The Daily Beast

Is there no resource but to cast this man also to the Minotaur?

From Project Gutenberg

The offspring of this bull was the famous Minotaur which the hero Theseus pursued through its labyrinth, and slew.

From Project Gutenberg

Though smaller and less expensive than the Minotaur she was a far more efficient ship.

From Project Gutenberg

She gave Theseus a clue of thread to conduct him out of the labyrinth after his defeat of the Minotaur.

From Project Gutenberg

I shall send the Minotaur and Audacious the moment we are clear of the west end of Sicily.

From Project Gutenberg