Sisyphus

noun

Sis·​y·​phus ˈsi-sə-fəs How to pronounce Sisyphus (audio)
: a legendary king of Corinth condemned eternally to repeatedly roll a heavy rock up a hill in Hades only to have it roll down again as it nears the top

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Sisyphos

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sisyphus was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near Sisyphus

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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