Tantalus

See also: tantalus

Translingual

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Τάνταλος (Tántalos, “Tantalus”), a Phrygian king in Greek mythology who was condemned to stand in a pool of water which receded every time he tried to drink, and with overhanging branches of fruit which pulled back whenever he tried to eat.

Proper noun

Tantalus m

1. (obsolete) A taxonomic genus within the family Ciconiidae – certain tropical storks; synonym of Mycteria.

Hyponyms

• (genus): Tantalus loculator, now Mycteria americana – type species

References

• William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin Eli Smith, editors (1895–1910), “Tantalus”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
• Mycteria on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Mycteria on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

English

The torment of Tantalus, 1655

Etymology

From Latin Tantalus, from Ancient Greek Τάνταλος (Tántalos). Doublet of tantalus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtæntələs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Proper noun

Tantalus

1. (Greek mythology) A Phrygian king who was condemned to remain in Tartarus, chin-deep in water, with fruit-laden branches hanging above his head; whenever he tried to drink or eat, the water and fruit receded out of reach.
   • 1593, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC:

     He will not mannage her, although he mount her, / That worse then Tantalus is her annoy

   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:

     But like still pining Tantalus he sits / And vselesse barnes the haruest of his wits

Derived terms

• tantalise
• tantalium
• tantalize
• tantalus

Related terms

• tantalum

Translations

condemned Phrygian king

• French: Tantale (fr) m
• Georgian: ტანტალოსი (ṭanṭalosi)
• Greek: Τάνταλος (el) m (Tántalos)

  Ancient Greek: Τάνταλος m (Tántalos)

• Italian: Tantalo m
• Latin: Tantalus m
• Polish: Tantal (pl) m
• Portuguese: Tântalo m
• Russian: Та́нтал (ru) m (Tántal), Танта́л (ru) m (Tantál)
• Spanish: Tántalo (es) m

Further reading

• Tantalus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

German

Alternative forms

• Tantalos

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Tantalus.

Proper noun

Tantalus m (proper noun, strong, genitive Tantalus)

1. (Greek mythology) Tantalus

Derived terms

• Tantalusqualen

Further reading

• “Tantalus” in Duden online
• Tantalos on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de

Latin

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Τάνταλος (Tántalos).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈtan.ta.ɫʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈtan.ta.lus]

Proper noun

Tantalus m sg (genitive Tantalī); second declension

1. (Greek mythology) Tantalus

Declension

Second-declension noun, singular only.

	singular
nominative	Tantalus
genitive	Tantalī
dative	Tantalō
accusative	Tantalum
ablative	Tantalō
vocative	Tantale

Derived terms

• Tantaleus
• Tantalides
• Tantalis