Definitions for tantalus
ˈtæn tl əstan·ta·lus

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Tantalusnoun

   (Greek mythology) a wicked king and son of Zeus; condemned in Hades to stand in water that receded when he tried to drink and beneath fruit that receded when he reached for it

WiktionaryRate this definition:1.8 / 4 votes

1. tantalusnoun

   A stork of the genus Mycteria (formerly Tantalus), especially the American wood ibis, Mycteria americana.

2. tantalusnoun

   A stand in which to lock up drink decanters while keeping them visible.

3. tantalusnoun

   Something of an evasive or retreating nature, something consistently out of reach; a tantalising thing.

4. Tantalusnoun

   A Phrygian king who was condemned to remain in Tartarus, chin deep in water, with fruit-laden branches hanging above his head; whenever he tried to drink or eat, the water and fruit receded out of reach.

5. Etymology: Latin Tantalus, from Greek Τανταλος ‘Tantalus’, a Phrygian king in Greek mythology who was condemned to stand in a pool of water which receded every time he tried to drink, and with overhanging branches of fruit which pulled back whenever he tried to eat.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Tantalus

   Tantalus (Ancient Greek: Τάνταλος Tántalos) was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his punishment in Tartarus: he was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water always receding before he could take a drink. He was also called Atys. He was the father of Pelops, Niobe and Broteas, and was a son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto. Thus, like other heroes in Greek mythology such as Theseus (his great-great-grandson) and the Dioskouroi, Tantalus had both a hidden, divine parent and a mortal one. The Greeks used the proverb "Tantalean punishment" (Ancient Greek: Ταντάλειοι τιμωρίαι: Tantáleioi timōríai) in reference to those who have good things but are not permitted to enjoy them. His name and punishment are also the source of the English word tantalize, meaning to torment with the sight of something desired but out of reach; tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. tantalus

   Tantalus, in Greek mythology, is a son of Zeus who is infamous for his punishment in the underworld. He was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water always receding before he could take a drink. In a broader cultural context, a 'tantalus' is a type of furniture, specifically a small wooden cabinet containing two or more decanters, whose necks are held by a locking bar, used for storing and serving alcoholic drinks. The name is a reference to the unsatisfied desire of Tantalus.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:2.3 / 3 votes

1. Tantalusnoun

   a Phrygian king who was punished in the lower world by being placed in the midst of a lake whose waters reached to his chin but receded whenever he attempted to allay his thirst, while over his head hung branches laden with choice fruit which likewise receded whenever he stretched out his hand to grasp them

2. Tantalusnoun

   a genus of wading birds comprising the wood ibises

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Tantalus

   Tantalus was a Greek mythological figure, most famous for his eternal punishment in Tartarus. He was made to stand in a pool of water beneath a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit ever eluding his grasp, and the water always receding before he could take a drink. He was the father of Pelops, Niobe and Broteas, and was a son of Zeus and the nymph Plouto. Thus, like other heroes in Greek mythology such as Theseus and the Dioskouroi, Tantalus had both a hidden, divine parent and a mortal one.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Tantalus

   tan′ta-lus, n. the wood-ibis, a genus of birds of the stork family, quite distinct from the true ibises.

The Nuttall EncyclopediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Tantalus

   in the Greek mythology a Lydian king, who, being admitted from blood relationship to the banquets of the gods, incurred their displeasure by betraying their secrets, and was consigned to the nether world and compelled to suffer the constant pangs of hunger and thirst, though he stood up to the chin in water, and had ever before him the offer of the richest fruits, both of which receded from him as he attempted to reach them, while a huge rock hung over him, ever threatening to fall and crush him with its weight.

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. tantalusnoun

   In the lore of the STAR TREK science fiction franchise, the Tantalus Penal Colony (or simply Tantalus Colony) was a Federation penal colony, located on the planet Tantalus V, that served as a prison and hospital during the mid-23rd century. Violent criminals were imprisoned there for rehabilitation. (As seen in "Dagger of the Mind", an episode of the original series.)

   
   

   Submitted by anonymous on May 16, 2023  

MythologyRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Tantalus

   (Tan′talus). Father of Niobe and Pelops, who, as a punishment for serving up his son Pelops as meat at a feast given to the gods, was placed in a pool of water in the infernal regions; but the waters receded from him whenever he attempted to quench his burning thirst. Hence the word “tantalizing”. Speaking of this god, Homer’s Ulysses says: “I saw the severe punishment of Tantalus. In a lake, whose waters approached to his lips, he stood burning with thirst, without the power to drink. Whenever he inclined his head to the stream, some deity commanded it to be dry, and the dark earth appeared at his feet. Around him lofty trees spread their fruits to view; the pear, the pomegranate, and the apple, the green olive, and the luscious fig quivered before him, which, whenever he extended his hand to seize them, were snatched by the winds into clouds and obscurity.”

   “There, Tantalus, along the Stygian bound, Pours out deep groans,—his groans through hell resound. E’en in the circling flood refreshment craves And pines with thirst amidst a sea of waves.”

   “... And of itself the water flies All taste of living wight, as once it fled The lip of Tantalus.” (Milton.)

Matched Categories

1. • Greek Mythology
   • Mythical Being

How to pronounce tantalus?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say tantalus in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of tantalus in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of tantalus in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=tantalus
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Tantalus
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantalus
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tantalus
6. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=tantalus
7. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=tantalus
8. ^ The Nuttall Encyclopedia
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/12342/pg12342-images.html#Tantalus
9. ^ Mythology
   https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42474/pg42474-images.html#:~:text=tantalus