Showing results for Achelous. Search instead for Achylous.

Achelous

British

/ ˌækɪˈləʊəs /

noun

classical myth a river god who changed into a snake and a bull while fighting Hercules but was defeated when Hercules broke off one of his horns

"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

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The plan includes diverting two tributaries of the River Achelous in western Greece, in addition to drilling and desalination projects.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

The 500-million-euro Achelous tributary project is to be completed by 2029.

From Barron's • Nov. 29, 2025

The Bulgarian Empire won a decisive victory in the Battle of Achelous on this day in 917.

From Slate • Aug. 20, 2018

But the Latins said the Cornucopia was the horn of Achelous which Hercules broke off when he conquered that river-god, who had taken the form of a bull to fight him.

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

Other times it felt like an anvil, as if the river god Achelous was sending out bad thoughts, trying to punish her for taking his horn.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023