Sisyphus
/ˈsɪsɪfəs/noun
In Greek mythology, a king condemned to roll a boulder uphill forever; by extension, a futile, endless task.
Did you know?Sisyphus became a symbol of endless, meaningless labor in ancient literature, and his name survived into modern English as the perfect word for a task that feels cursed to repeat forever.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Σίσυφος (Sísyphos)
“The mythic name of the clever king of Corinth condemned to eternal labor.”
Classical Greek
Greek
Σίσυφος
“A legendary figure associated with cunning, trickery, and punishment by the gods.”
Latin
Latin
Sisyphus
“The Greek mythological name adopted into Latin literature.”
Middle English
English
Sisyphus
“A learned borrowing used in references to classical myth.”
Modern English
English
Sisyphus
“A person or task that is condemned to endless, futile repetition.”