Caliban

noun

Cal·​i·​ban ˈka-lə-ˌban How to pronounce Caliban (audio)
: a savage and deformed slave in Shakespeare's The Tempest

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Caliban was circa 1616

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Cite this Entry

“Caliban.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Caliban. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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