Aeneas
/ɪˈniː.əs/noun
A Trojan hero of Greek and Roman legend, central to Virgil’s Aeneid.
Did you know?Ancient writers themselves disagreed on Aeneas’s name, and some linked it to Greek words for praise, pain, or even a fable-like “terrible” origin — proof that legendary names could carry multiple layers of meaning.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Aineías
“The legendary Trojan hero’s name in Greek tradition”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
aínos
“Praise, tale, or fable”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
ainós
“Terrible, dreadful, or awful”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Aenēās
“The Roman form of the hero’s name”
Modern English
English
Aeneas
“The Trojan hero of epic poetry”