SINCE 1828
dictionary
thesaurus

Achilles

noun
Save Word
Achil·​les | \ ə-ˈki-lēz How to pronounce Achilles (audio) \

Definition of Achilles

1 : the greatest warrior among the Greeks at Troy and slayer of Hector
2 : achilles tendon

First Known Use of Achilles

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for Achilles

Latin, from Greek Achilleus

Learn More About Achilles

Time Traveler for Achilles

Time Traveler

The first known use of Achilles was before the 12th century

See more words from the same century

Dictionary Entries Near Achilles

Achillean

Achilles

Achilles' heel

See More Nearby Entries 

Statistics for Achilles

Cite this Entry

“Achilles.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Achilles. Accessed 25 Jun. 2022.

Style: MLA
MLACheck Mark Icon ChicagoCheck Mark Icon APACheck Mark Icon Merriam-WebsterCheck Mark Icon

More from Merriam-Webster on Achilles

Nglish: Translation of Achilles for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of Achilles for Arabic Speakers

WORD OF THE DAY

noisome

Listen to the pronunciation of noisome

See Definitions and Examples »

Test Your Vocabulary

Which Word Does Not Belong?

  • one green toy robot amidst many red toy robots
  • Which of these words does not mean "nonsense"?
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Universal Daily Crossword

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games