Telemachus
noun
Te·lem·a·chus
tə-ˈle-mə-kəs 
: the son of Odysseus and Penelope who contrives with his father to slay his mother's suitors
Examples of Telemachus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Penelope, wife of Odysseus, daughter of Icarius, mother of Telemachus, defined primarily in Homer’s epic by her relationships to the men in her life.
—
Trey Graham, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
That trope is as true in literature as in life: think of Telemachus, of Oedipus, of Hamlet, poor guys driven to distraction, or long-distance travel, or murder by the spectre of Dad.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
Their son Telemachus, who has grown up fatherless, is facing death at the hands of the suitors who see him as an obstacle in their relentless pursuit of Penelope and the kingdom.
—Manori Ravindran, Variety, 28 Apr. 2022
Throughout his book, Mendelsohn illuminates the parallels between his relationship to his father and Odysseus’s relationship to his son, Telemachus.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 4 Feb. 2021
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Trey Graham, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024
That trope is as true in literature as in life: think of Telemachus, of Oedipus, of Hamlet, poor guys driven to distraction, or long-distance travel, or murder by the spectre of Dad.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 30 May 2022
Their son Telemachus, who has grown up fatherless, is facing death at the hands of the suitors who see him as an obstacle in their relentless pursuit of Penelope and the kingdom.
—Manori Ravindran, Variety, 28 Apr. 2022
Throughout his book, Mendelsohn illuminates the parallels between his relationship to his father and Odysseus’s relationship to his son, Telemachus.
—The Editors, Outside Online, 4 Feb. 2021
Cite this Entry
“Telemachus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Telemachus. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share