lethe

noun

le·​the ˈlē-thē 

1

Lethe : a river in Hades whose waters cause drinkers to forget their past

2

: oblivion, forgetfulness

lethean

ˈlē-thē-ən  li-ˈthē- 

adjective

often Lethean

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin Lēthē, locale or a river in the Underworld, borrowed from Greek lḗthē "forgetfulness, oblivion" (personified as a goddess of forgetfulness, also a plain in the Underworld), derivative from the base of lanthánein "to escape one's notice," lanthánesthai "to forget" — more at latent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lethe

• beth
• breath
• death
• heth
• meth
• seth
• sheth
• sneath
• shibboleth