labyrinth en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈlæb.ɹɪnθ/
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈlæb.ə.ɹɪnθ/
Etymology
From Middle English laberynt, laberynthe, from Latin labyrinthus, from Ancient Greek λᾰβύρῐνθος (lăbúrĭnthos, “a maze”).
Meanings
-
(Greek) A maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur. ▸ A complicated irregular network of passages or paths, especially underground or covered, in which it is difficult to find one's way.
Mrs. Churchill liked the interminable labyrinths of the Cyrus and the Cassandra, because she had liked them in the days of her girlhood. Youth identifies itself with the romance; it is the heroic knight, or the lovely lady, of which it reads; it lives amid those fine creations; its sweetest hours are given to dreams which soon "Fade into the light of common day."
1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, pages 264–265:
- (Greek) A maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur. ▸ A maze formed by paths separated by high hedges.
- (Greek) A maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur. ▸ A structure similar to a maze, but containing only one path with no branches, as distinguished from a maze which contains multiple branching paths
-
(Greek, broadly) A maze-like structure built by Daedalus in Knossos, containing the Minotaur. ▸ Anything complicated and confusing in structure, arrangement, or character.
Whitney is absorbed especially by Dublin's unglamorous interstitial zones: the new housing estates and labyrinths of roads, watercourses and railways where the city peters into its commuter belt.
2014 August 23, Neil Hegarty, “Hidden City: Adventures and Explorations in Dublin by Karl Whitney, review: 'a necessary corrective' [print version: Re-Joycing in Dublin, p. R25]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Review):Recent investigations into alleged wrongdoings at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reveal an apparent labyrinth of deceit, competitiveness, and a sluggish approach to fighting AIDS/ARC.
1986 February 15, Elizabeth Pincus, “The CDC: When Politics & Egos Hamper Saving Lives”, in Gay Community News, volume 14, number 39, page 1:
- A tortuous anatomical structure: ▸ A complex structure in the inner ear which contains the organs of hearing and balance, consisting of bony cavities (the bony labyrinth) filled with fluid and lined with sensitive membranes (the membranous labyrinth).
- A tortuous anatomical structure: ▸ An accessory respiratory organ of certain fish.
- Any of various satyrine butterflies of the genus Neope.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| labyrinths | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
labyrinthopathy · labyrinth seal · labyrinthical · labyrinth fish · labyrinthiform · labyrinthian · labyrinthine · labyrinthitis · radiation labyrinth · labyrinthic · labyrinthosis · labyrinthectomy · osseous labyrinth · ethmoidal labyrinth · bony labyrinth · labyrinthal · labyrinthial · labyrinth organ · labyrinthlike
Synonyms
Translations (124)
cs labyrint (part of inner ear) · bg завъртулка (anything complicated or confusing) · ga cathair ghríobháin (maze) · la labyrinthus (maze) · pt labirinto (maze) · fr labyrinthe (maze) · ka ლაბირინთი (maze) · tg лабиринт (maze) · fi labyrintti (part of inner ear) · lo ວົງກົດ (maze) · ga lúbra (maze) · sq labirint (maze) · pl labirynt (anything complicated or confusing) · ug سىرلىق ئوردا (maze) · sq rrojmë (maze) · he מָבוֹךְ (maze) · bg лабири́нт (part of inner ear) · uz labirint (maze) · ky лабиринт (maze) · sl labirint (maze) · yue 迷宮 /迷宫 (maze) · af labirint (anything complicated or confusing) · fi sokkelo (maze) · pt labirinto (part of inner ear) · nl labyrint (maze) · tl labirint (maze) · kk лабиринт (maze) · id labirin (maze) · es laberinto (part of inner ear) · yi לאַבירינט (maze) · kk шытырман (maze) · fa لابیرِنت (maze) · ga lúbra (part of inner ear) · ca laberint (maze) · io labirinto (maze) · ja 迷宮 (maze) · my ဝင်္ကပါ (maze) · mnw ဝၚ်ဂပဝ် (maze) · tr labirent (maze) · it labirinto (maze) · km របត់ (maze) · nl labyrint (part of inner ear) · ko 미로 (maze) · ca laberint (part of inner ear) · az dolanbac (anything complicated or confusing) · sv labyrint (maze) · az dolanbac (maze) · de Labyrinth (part of inner ear) · bg лабиринт (anything complicated or confusing) · hi उलझन (anything complicated or confusing) · cs bludiště (maze) · el λαβύρινθος (part of inner ear) · hi भूलभुलैया (anything complicated or confusing) · mn лабиринт (maze) · pl labirynt (maze) · el λαβύρινθος (maze) · es laberinto (maze) · gd ioma-shlighe (maze) · bg лабири́нт (maze) · th วงกต (maze) · hu labirintus (maze) · ms labirin (maze) · hy լաբիրինթոս (maze) · sh лабѝринт (maze) · lt labirintas (maze) · sk labyrint (maze) · af labirint (maze) · sh lavìrint (maze) · bn গোলকধাঁধা (maze) · tk labirent (maze) · fi labyrintti (maze) · pl błędnik (part of inner ear) · nb labyrint (maze) · fa هِزارتو (maze) · it meandro (anything complicated or confusing) · gl labirinto (anything complicated or confusing) · sk bludisko (maze) · vi mê hồn trận (maze) · eu labirinto (maze) · it labirinto (part of inner ear) · dv މޭޒެވެ (maze) · yue 明陣 /明阵 (maze) · de Labyrinth (maze) · he לָבִּירִינְת (maze) · wa labrin (maze) · gl labirinto (maze) · es dédalo (anything complicated or confusing) · pl błędnik (maze) · ro labirint (maze) · ar مَتَاهَة (maze) · sl blodnjak (maze) · fi labyrintti (anything complicated or confusing) · eo labirinto (maze) · lv labirints (maze) · is völundarhús (maze) · hy բավիղ (maze) · cs labyrint (maze) · cmn 迷宮 /迷宫 (maze) · mk лавири́нт (maze) · ca dèdal (maze) · eu labirinto (part of inner ear) · da labyrint (maze) · et labürint (maze) · sh labìrint (maze) · sh лавѝринт (maze) · be лабіры́нт (maze) · hi भूलभुलैया (maze) · vo labüren (maze) · cmn 明陣 /明阵 (maze) · pt labirinto (anything complicated or confusing) · ur بھُول بھُلیاں (maze) · ja 迷路 (maze) · eo labirinto (part of inner ear) · vi mê cung (maze) · es laberinto (anything complicated or confusing) · uk лабіри́нт (maze) · nl doolhof (maze) · ru лабири́нт (maze) · af doolhof (maze) · ms pagar sesat (maze) · az labirint (maze) · pl labirynt (part of inner ear) · grc λαβύρινθος (maze) · fa هِزارخَم (maze)