Oedipus

1 of 2

noun

Oe·​di·​pus ˈe-də-pəs How to pronounce Oedipus (audio)
ˈē-
: the son of Laius and Jocasta who in fulfillment of an oracle unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother

Oedipus

2 of 2

adjective

Examples of Oedipus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Sign up In this version, Oedipus is a smooth-talking, modern day politician, who has gathered with his family on election night while a huge digital clock counts down the hours to... The Week Uk, theweek, 24 Oct. 2024 His thinking is more aligned with that of literary scholar Harold Bloom, who contended that poems beget other poems, in a network of influence that owes as much to Darwin’s theory of evolution as to Freud’s notion of the Oedipus complex. Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 All the kids were doing pieces of the Oedipus Rex monologue. Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2024 Surely, an enormous tragedy is being written making Oedipus tragedy one of immaterial lip service. Dr. Robert G. Rabil, Sun Sentinel, 22 July 2024 When Theseus, the ruler of Athens, arrives on the scene, Oedipus’s words to him transcend both the immediate situation and Oedipus’s dire backstory. Rachel Hadas, The Conversation, 9 July 2024 The film, which premiered in Berlin, is a modern myth freely inspired by the story of Oedipus. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 28 June 2024 Come for the spectacular imagery — a shot of three trans women using urinals wearing skirts is immortal — and stay for the bloody Oedipus twist. Barry Levitt, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2024

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

Noun

Latin, from Greek Oidipous

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1910, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Oedipus was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near Oedipus

Cite this Entry

“Oedipus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Oedipus. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Medical Definition

Oedipus

1 of 2 adjective

Oedipus

2 of 2 noun

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