Cyclops

[ sahy-klops ]

noun

, plural Cy·clo·pes [sahy-, kloh, -peez].

1. Classical Mythology. a member of a family of giants having a single round eye in the middle of the forehead.
2. (lowercase) a freshwater copepod of the genus Cyclops, having a median eye in the front of the head.

Cyclops

¹

/ ˈsaɪklɒps /

noun

1. classical myth one of a race of giants having a single eye in the middle of the forehead, encountered by Odysseus in the Odyssey See also Polyphemus

cyclops

²

/ ˈsaɪklɒps /

noun

1. any copepod of the genus Cyclops, characterized by having one eye

Cyclops

1. plur. Cyclopes One-eyed giants in classical mythology . One Cyclops imprisoned Odysseus and his men during their voyage back to Greece after the Trojan War (see also Trojan War ). Odysseus managed to trick the Cyclops and put out his eye. Odysseus and his men were then able to escape.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cyclops¹

< Greek Kýklōps, literally, round-eye, equivalent to kýkl ( os ) a circle, round + ṓps eye

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cyclops¹

C15: from Latin Cyclōps, from Greek Kuklōps, literally: round eye, from kuklos circle + ōps eye

Example Sentences

Cyclops blasts powerful energy beams from his eyes.

From Los Angeles Times

These could help answer many questions about how and when the Cyclops Mountains originally formed.

From Science Daily

Using cameras placed in the Cyclops Mountains in Indonesia’s West Papua province, the researchers captured it on video for the first time, proving it had not gone extinct.

From Washington Times

Previous expeditions to the Cyclops Mountains had uncovered signs, such as 'nose pokes' in the ground, that the Attenborough echidna was still living there.

From BBC

“So it is really valuable to understand that it still occurs in the Cyclops Mountains,” said Kristofer Helgen, a mammalogist and director of the Australian Museum Research Institute who wasn’t involved in the expedition.

From New York Times

Related Words

• behemoth
• titan