labyrinth
noun
Paul Blanshard
Did you know?
Is there a difference between maze and labyrinth?
Is there a difference between the words maze and labyrinth? Not so much; both words are used in reference to confusing networks of passages or channels, or for a thing that is complicated or confusingly elaborate. However, in origin the two words are quite different. Maze is presumed to come from an unrecorded Old English word masian (“to confuse”), whereas labyrinth has a more classical pedigree.
Ancient Greek legends tell of King Minos of Crete, who had the inventor Daedalus create a labyrinth beneath his palace in which was housed the Minotaur, a fearsome monster with the head of a bull and body of a man. The Minotaur was said to have been slain by the Greek hero Theseus, who then managed to find his way out of the labyrinth with the aid of a ball of thread that had been given to him by Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.
Examples of labyrinth in a Sentence
Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 27 Jan. 2025
Although we were denied permanent legal residency, DACA protected me from deportation, provided a temporary work status, and afforded me time to navigate the labyrinth of an outdated immigration system to become a permanent resident.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
Other wellness practices include a meditative labyrinth walk and that old-travel favorite, outdoor yoga.
—Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 17 Jan. 2025
The biomorphic networks and labyrinths in my sculptures symbolize life’s complex paths.
—Stephan Rabimov, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025
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Dictionary Entries Near labyrinth
Cite this Entry
“Labyrinth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labyrinth. Accessed 11 Feb. 2025.
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