Tethys

noun

Te·​thys ˈtē-thəs How to pronounce Tethys (audio)
: a Titaness and wife of Oceanus

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Tēthys

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Tethys was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near Tethys

Cite this Entry

“Tethys.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Tethys. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Tethys

geographical name

Te·​thys ˈtē-thəs How to pronounce Tethys (audio)
either of two ancient seas: an earlier one that extended into eastern Pangaea late in the Paleozoic Era, or a later one that separated Laurasia to the north from Gondwana to the south during the Mesozoic Era

Note: The Mediterranean, Black, Caspian, and Aral seas are remnants of the later Tethys Sea.

Tethyan adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Tethys

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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