Achilles
/əˈkɪliːz/noun
The greatest Greek warrior of the Trojan War, especially known for his near-invulnerability except for his heel.
Did you know?In Greek myth, Achilles became the ultimate symbol of deadly strength and fatal vulnerability, which is why his name still lives on in the phrase “Achilles’ heel.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀχιλλεύς (Akhilleús)
“Name of the legendary Greek hero of the Trojan War”
Mycenaean / Pre-Greek
Pre-Greek
*Akhí-lāu̯os?
“Uncertain pre-Greek or substrate form proposed by scholars; the name’s ultimate origin is not securely established”
Classical Greek
Greek
Ἀχιλλήϊος / Ἀχιλλεῖος
“Pertaining to Achilles”
Latin
Latin
Achilleus
“Achilles”
Old French
Old French
Achiles
“Achilles”
Middle English
English
Achilles
“The Greek hero, especially in classical and literary references”