Theseus
/ˈθiː.si.əs/noun
A hero in Greek mythology, famed for killing the Minotaur and uniting Attica under Athens.
Did you know?The name Theseus is ancient and mythic, but its exact origin is uncertain, which is common for very old Greek heroic names that likely predate clear written explanation.
Etymological Timeline
Mycenaean / Pre-Greek?
Unknown
?
“The name may preserve a very old, possibly pre-Greek or otherwise obscure formation.”
Classical Greek
Greek
Θησεύς (Thēseús)
“The hero Theseus, legendary king and founder figure of Athens.”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
Θησεύς
“The established mythological name used in literature and retellings.”
Latin
Latin
Theseus
“The Greek hero as adopted into Roman literature and scholarship.”
Old English
English
Theseus
“The classical name appears in learned reference and translations.”
Modern English
English
Theseus
“The standard English form of the mythological hero's name.”