Herculean

See also: herculean

English

Etymology tree

English Hercules

Proto-Indo-European *-nós

Proto-Italic *-nos

Latin -nus

Latin -ānus

Old French -ainder.

Middle English -an

English -an

English Herculean

From Hercules + -an.

Herculean (comparative more Herculean, superlative most Herculean)

Of extraordinary might, power, size, etc.; suggesting Hercules in size or strength.
- c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii], page 343, column 1:
  But this is not the best:—look, pr'ythee, Charmian, / How this Herculean Roman does become / The carriage of his chafe.
Requiring a huge amount of work; of extraordinary difficulty.
a Herculean labour
- 1748, Tobias George Smollett, The Adventures of Roderick Random:
  He replied in a dry manner, that I would find it a Herculean task to chastise everybody who should laugh at my expense;
- 2006, Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear (TV show), commenting on the Bugatti Veyron automobile
  The guys at Volkswagen have a Herculean task.
- 2012, John Nonte, Supercollider 4:
  There are thousands of known isotopes, and to have a functional and easily maintainable exhibit for all of these would require a Herculean effort.

of extraordinary might, power, size, etc.

requiring a huge amount of work