Minotaur

[min-uh-tawr] /ˈmɪn əˌtɔr/

noun

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.

any person or thing that devours or destroys.

Origin

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

British Dictionary definitions for Minotaur

Minotaur

/ˈmaɪnətɔː/

noun

(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

Word Origin

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

Word Origin and History for Minotaur

late 14c., from Greek minotauros, from Minos, king of Crete + tauros "bull" (see Taurus). A flesh-eating monster, half man half bull, son of Pasiphae (wife of Minos) by a bull.

Minotaur in Culture

Minotaur [(min-uh-tawr)]

In classical mythology, a monster, half man and half bull. The Minotaur was born to the queen of Crete, Pasipha&edie;, 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.