Daedalus

3 9.9

An ancient Greek craftsman who builds a maze and escapes Crete with his son using wings of feathers and wax

proper noun
/ˈdɛdələs/

Literature

: Dédalo

In the myth, Daedalus and his son Icarus escaped from Crete by flying with wings made of feathers and wax.
Daedalus and Icarus

Examples

As everyone knows, he and his father Daedalus were trapped in the Labyrinth in Crete because Daedalus had offended King Minos.

Academic text (1997)
When the wings were finished, Daedalus attached the first pair to his son and the second pair to himself.

Fiction book (2001)
The myth of Daedalus and Icarus has been passed down from ancient Greece.

Fiction book (2001)
But Daedalus ingeniously devised wings, enabling him and Icarus to escape by air over the sea.

Academic text (1997)
According to Greek mythology, Daedalus was a skilled craftsman known for building the labyrinth on Crete.
The legend of Daedalus tells of his incredible invention of wings that allowed him and Icarus to fly away from danger.

Synonyms

Daedal

vsDaedalus

Literature

9.9

A Greek inventor who built a maze for King Minos and escaped with wings he made for his son Icarus

is the classical longer form of the same mythic name

Surface Forms

Daedalus main

Etymology

Daedalus is the name of a clever craftsman in Greek myth and comes from a Greek word like daidala meaning 'skillful work' or 'things made by hand'. He built the labyrinth and made wings to fly, so the name Daedalus reminds us of a skillful maker or clever inventor.