Minotaur

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈmaɪnətɔː/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(min′ə tôr′)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
Min•o•taur  (min′ə tôr′),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. [Class. Myth.]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.
  2. any person or thing that devours or destroys.
  • Greek Mīnó̄tauros, equivalent. to Mí̄nō(s) Minos + taúros bull
  • Latin Mīnōtaurus

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Minotaur /ˈmaɪnəˌtɔː/ n
  1. 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
Etymology: 14th Century: via Latin from Greek Minōtauros, from Minos + tauros bull
'Minotaur' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Ariadne - Birtwistle - Minos - Pasiphaë - Theseus - Androgeus - labyrinth

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