Tantalean
/ˌtæn.təˈliː.ən/noun
Relating to or characteristic of Tantalus; by extension, teasingly unattainable or tormentingly close.
Did you know?Tantalean descends from Tantalus, the mythic figure whose eternal punishment gave English the idea of being tormented by something just out of reach.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Tántalos
“Tantalus, the mythic king punished in the underworld”
Latin
Latin
Tantāleus
“Of or belonging to Tantalus”
Late Middle English
English
tantalean
“Pertaining to Tantalus; suggestive of painful longing or frustration”
Modern English
English
tantalean
“Relating to Tantalus, or maddeningly unattainable”
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