Hercules

See also: hercules, Hércules, and Hèrcules

English

Etymology

From Latin Herculēs, from Etruscan 𐌇𐌄𐌓𐌂𐌋𐌄 (hercle), from Ancient Greek Ἡρακλῆς (Hēraklês), apparently from Ἥρα (Hḗra, “Hera”) + κλέος (kléos, “glory”).

Pronunciation
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈhɜːkjəliːz/, /ˈhɜːkjʊliːz/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈhɝːkjəliːz/, /ˈhɝːkjʊliːz/
  • Audio (UK)(file)

Proper noun

Hercules

  1. (Roman mythology) The Roman name for the Greek divine hero Heracles, who was the son of Jupiter and Alcmene, a celebrated hero who possessed exceptional strength. Most famous for his 12 labours performed to redeem himself after killing his family.
    Coordinate terms: Heracles, Melqart
  2. (astronomy) A summer constellation of the northern sky, said to resemble the mythical hero. It lies between the constellations Lyra and Corona Borealis.
  3. (astronomy) A crater in the first quadrant on the moon.
  4. (rare, countable) A male given name from Ancient Greek
  5. A city in Contra Costa County, California, United States.

Derived terms

Translations
The Roman name of Heracles — See also translations at Heracles

Further reading

Noun

Hercules (plural Hercules)

  1. A Hercules beetle

Anagrams

Dutch

Pronunciation
  • Audio(file)

Proper noun

Hercules m

  1. (astronomy) Hercules

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Via the Etruscan 𐌇𐌄𐌓𐌂𐌋𐌄 (hercle), from the Ancient Greek Ἡρακλῆς (Hēraklês), apparently from Ἥρα (Hḗra, “Hera”) +‎ κλέος (kléos, “glory”).

Pronunciation
  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈher.ku.leːs/, [ˈhɛrkʊɫ̪eːs̠]
  • (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈer.ku.les/, [ˈɛrkules]

Proper noun

Herculēs m sg (genitive Herculis or Herculī); third declension

  1. (Greek mythology) Hercules, Heracles, heroic son of Zeus.
    Nē Herculēs quidem contrā/adversus duōs (Μηδ’ Ἡρακλῆς πρὸς δύο).
    Not even Hercules fights against two.

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative Herculēs Herculēs
Genitive Herculis
Herculī		 Herculum
Dative Herculī Herculibus
Accusative Herculem Herculēs
Ablative Hercule Herculibus
Vocative Herculē
Herculēs
Hercle		 Herculēs
  • Although listed as a vocative, Hercle is properly an interjection and a religious oath/swear. The other vocative forms also occur in this function, often augmented by mĕ - see mehercule.
  • The genitive and dative often found spelt as Herculei (read as /ˈher.ku.liː/ by Classical era) in manuscripts and inscriptions. [1]

Derived terms

References
  • “Hercŭles”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • “Hercules”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • Hercŭlēs in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette, page 742/2
  • “Herculēs” on page 791/3 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)
  1. Corpus inscriptorum Latinarum vol. I pars II fasc. I, p.623 §1482 [= 1113] and p.626 §1503 [= 1145]. More properly: Theodorus Mommsen (editor), Inscriptiones latinae antiquissimae ad C. Caesaris mortem. Editio altera, fasciculus I, Berlin, 1918
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