Telemachus

noun

Te·​lem·​a·​chus tə-ˈle-mə-kəs How to pronounce Telemachus (audio)
: 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
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.
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

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Tēlemachos

First Known Use

circa 1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Telemachus was circa 1556

Dictionary Entries Near Telemachus

Cite this Entry

“Telemachus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Telemachus. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Telemachus

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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