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

Basque: labirinto (eu) Catalan: laberint (ca) m., dèdal (ca) m. Chinese: Mandarin: 迷宮 (cmn), 迷宫 (cmn) (mígōng) Croatian: labirint (hr) 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. 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) 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

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