Theseus

noun

: a king of Athens in Greek mythology who kills Procrustes and the Minotaur before defeating the Amazons and marrying their queen

Examples of Theseus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Like a Ship of Theseus, the ARPANET lived on even after every component of it was replaced. ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2025 Some of Shintoism’s most important structures, including the famous Ise Grand Shrine, have been regularly torn down and rebuilt over the centuries, posing a philosophical question — akin to the ship of Theseus paradox — of whether a building is more than the sum of its material parts. Hanako Montgomery, CNN Money, 10 Apr. 2025 Employees should be like the ship of Theseus, comprised of endlessly interchangeable components. Lily Scherlis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025 The mythical scenes depict the goddess of love, Venus, with her mortal lover, Adonis, as well as Hippolytus, son of Theseus, who rejected his stepmother Phaedra’s romantic advances. Jacqui Palumbo, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024 Ariadne Unbound Park Avenue Christian Church, November 16 The early music ensemble Tenet narrates the story of Ariadne and Theseus, told through an assortment of 17th century Italian composers: Barbara Strozzi, Monteverdi, etc. Justin Davidson, Vulture, 30 Aug. 2024 In Euripides’ ancient Greek tragedy Hippolytus, Phaedra, the wife of hero Theseus, falls in love with her stepson Hippolytus. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 One of the paper’s authors compared the tree to the Ship of Theseus — a mythical vessel that has been entirely rebuilt with new parts. Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2024 Ariadne is the sister of the Minotaur, a half-human, half-bull creature that Theseus is ordered to slay. Rebecca Aizin, Peoplemag, 5 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Thēseus

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Theseus was in the 14th century

Cite this Entry

“Theseus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Theseus. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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