labyrinth

See also Labyrinth

English

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Latin labyrinthus, from Ancient Greek λαβύρινθος (labýrinthos) 'maze', possibly from an Anatolian language (compare Lydian labrys 'double-edged axe' and -inthos typical of Anatolian placenames), although the actual etymology of labyrinth is still a matter of conjecture.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈlæb.(ə)ɹ.ɪnθ/, /ˈlæb.ɪ.ɹɪnθ/
• (US) IPA: /ˈlæb.ɚ.ɪnθ/, /ˈlæb.ɹɪnθ/

Noun

labyrinth (plural labyrinths)

1. A maze, especially underground or covered.
2. Part of the inner ear.
3. (figuratively) Anything complicated and confusing, like a maze.

Derived terms

cochlear labyrinth cortical labyrinth ethmoidal labyrinth labyrinthal labyrinthed

labyrinthial labyrinthian labyrinthic labyrinthical labyrinthically

labyrinthiform labyrinthine labyrinth seal membranous labyrinth olfactory labyrinth

osseous labyrinth prayer labyrinth unicursal labyrinth vestibular labyrinth

Translations

maze

• Armenian: լաբիրինթոս (hy) (labirintʿos) , բավիղ (hy) (bavił) 
• Basque: labirinto (eu)
• Catalan: laberint (ca) m, dèdal (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 迷宮 (cmn), 迷宫 (cmn) (mígōng)

• Czech: labyrint (cs) m, bludiště (cs) n
• Dutch: doolhof (nl) m, labyrint (nl) n
• Esperanto: labirinto (eo)
• Finnish: labyrintti (fi), sokkelo (fi)
• French: labyrinthe (fr) m
• Galician: labirinto (gl) m
• German: Labyrinth (de) n
• Greek: λαβύρινθος (el) (lavirinthos) m 
• Ido: labirinto

• Irish: lúbra (ga) m, cathair ghríobháin (ga) f
• Italian: labirinto (it) m
• Japanese: 迷路 (ja) (めいろ, meiro), 迷宮 (ja) (めいきゅう, meikyū)
• Korean: 미로 (ko) (miro) (迷路 (ko))
• Latin: labyrinthus
• Norwegian: labyrint (no) m
• Polish: labirynt (pl) m
• Portuguese: labirinto (pt) m
• Romanian: labirint (ro)
• Russian: лабиринт (ru) (labirínt) m 
• Scottish Gaelic: ioma-shlighe (gd) f
• Serbo-Croatian: labirint (sh)
• Spanish: laberinto (es) m
• Volapük: labüren (vo)

part of inner ear

• Basque: labirinto (eu)
• Catalan: laberint (ca) m
• Czech: labyrint (cs) m
• Dutch: labyrint (nl) n
• Finnish: labyrintti (fi)

• German: Labyrinth (de) n
• Greek: λαβύρινθος (el) m (lavýrinthos) (lavýrinthos)
• Irish: lúbra (ga) m
• Italian: labirinto (it) m
• Polish: błędnik (pl) m

anything complicated or confusing

• Finnish: labyrintti (fi)

• Galician: labirinto (gl) m

Verb

labyrinth (third-person singular simple present labyrinths, present participle labyrinthing, simple past and past participle labyrinthed)

1. To enclose in a labyrinth, or as though in a labyrinth.
2. To arrange in the form of a labyrinth.

References

• Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989