Laertes

noun

La·​er·​tes lā-ˈər-tēz How to pronounce Laertes (audio)
-ˈer-
1
: the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology
2
: the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Examples of Laertes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At the Schauspielhaus Bochum, the climactic duel between Hamlet and Laertes swerved away from physical violence: neither combatant would make the first move. Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 27 Nov. 2023 Poor Ophelia is portrayed soulfully by Pfeiffer; Laertes, Ophelia’s vengeful brother, is played with admirable intensity by Nick Rehberger. Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 17 July 2023 That advice was given to Laertes, not Hamlet, who probably could've used it. Lester Fabian Brathwaite, EW.com, 13 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Laertes.' 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 Laertēs

First Known Use

circa 1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Laertes was circa 1565

Dictionary Entries Near Laertes

Cite this Entry

“Laertes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Laertes. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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