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Glite Dictionary
Minos

Minos

7 9.3
A king of ancient Crete in Greek myth who had the Labyrinth built and judged the dead
  • proper noun
  • /ˈmaɪnəs/
  • Literature
translation icon : Minos
  • Plutarch describes the joy of King Minos when Theseus overcame the Cretan bull, father of the Minotaur, in a wrestling match at funeral games.
  • King Minos
  • Minos, the cruel ruler

Examples

  • Tonight is the feast of King Minos our local carnival, and the whole place goes mad.

    The Moon-Spinners (1964)

  • In the age of gods and spirits... the known world was ruled by a dark empire... from their island palace of Minos.

    Minotaur (2006)

  • In Crete, Minos ascended Mount Dicta, where Zeus gave him the sacred laws.

    Zeitgeist (2007)

  • According to myth, King Minos ordered the construction of the Labyrinth to hold the Minotaur.

  • In ancient stories, Minos was known as the ruler of Crete and a judge of the dead.

  • The tale tells that Minos demanded tribute from Athens, sending youths into the Labyrinth.

Compounds

Labyrinth of Minos
  • Literature
9.9

A very large maze in Greek myth on Crete built to hold the Minotaur

Surface Forms

Minos main

Etymology

Minos is the name of the famous king of Crete in Greek myth. A helpful way to remember it is that his name likely came from an old Cretan word or title meaning 'king' or 'ruler', and that is why stories show Minos as the powerful ruler who built the Labyrinth and later judged the dead.