Hercules

noun

Her·​cu·​les ˈhər-kyə-ˌlēz How to pronounce Hercules (audio)
1
: a mythical Greek hero renowned for his great strength and especially for performing 12 labors imposed on him by Hera
2
[Latin (genitive Herculis)] : a northern constellation between Corona Borealis and Lyra

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The Navy wants the new E-XX TACAMO to be based on the C-130J Super Hercules instead. Popular Mechanics, 7 Apr. 2023 Some of the studio's other upcoming live-action remakes include this year's Peter Pan & Wendy and The Little Mermaid and next year's Snow White, and Hercules, The Aristocats, and Bambi are among the other movies being translated into live-action. Brendan Morrow, The Week, 3 Apr. 2023 Other works of art depict various figures and stories from Greek mythology, including a scene featuring Poseidon and another featuring a young Hercules crushing two snakes. Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Jan. 2023 North Coast Section Richmond at Salesian, 1 p.m. Hercules at San Lorenzo, 1:30 p.m. San Francisco Chronicle, 1 Sep. 2021 In addition to the 96 people aboard the plane, a C-130 Hercules, there were also five military vehicles, officials said. New York Times, 4 July 2021 As the pilot of a C-130 Hercules cargo plane, Lt. Col. John Reinan, Star Tribune, 12 June 2021 The search included two cutters, one 45-foot response boat, four helicopters, a C-130 Hercules aircraft, and other assets, including one US Customs and Border Protection aircraft. Alta Spells And Alaa Elassar, CNN, 30 May 2021 The largest object on display is a whale-size C-130 Hercules cargo plane on loan from the Arkansas Air National Guard. Jack Schnedler, Arkansas Online, 25 May 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Hercules.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Hēraklēs

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hercules was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near Hercules

Cite this Entry

“Hercules.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hercules. Accessed 28 May. 2023.

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