labyrinth

noun

lab·y·rinth ˈla-bə-ˌrin(t)th How to pronounce labyrinth (audio)

-rən(t)th

: a place constructed of or full of intricate passageways and blind alleys

a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers

: a maze (as in a garden) formed by paths separated by high hedges

: something extremely complex or tortuous (see tortuous sense 1) in structure, arrangement, or character : intricacy, perplexity

a labyrinth of swamps and channels

guided them through the labyrinths of city life

Paul Blanshard

: a tortuous anatomical structure

especially : the internal ear or its bony or membranous part

Did you know?

Is there a difference between maze and labyrinth?

Is there a difference between the words maze and labyrinth? Not so much; both words are used in reference to confusing networks of passages or channels, or for a thing that is complicated or confusingly elaborate. However, in origin the two words are quite different. Maze is presumed to come from an unrecorded Old English word masian (“to confuse”), whereas labyrinth has a more classical pedigree.

Ancient Greek legends tell of King Minos of Crete, who had the inventor Daedalus create a labyrinth beneath his palace in which was housed the Minotaur, a fearsome monster with the head of a bull and body of a man. The Minotaur was said to have been slain by the Greek hero Theseus, who then managed to find his way out of the labyrinth with the aid of a ball of thread that had been given to him by Ariadne, the daughter of Minos.

Example Sentences

a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers The cockpit was a labyrinth of instruments and controls. a labyrinth of social customs and rules

Recent Examples on the Web During her own raucously emotional acceptance, Lizzo kept demanding the Watch Out for Big Grrrls girls come down to join her — which would've been possible if this year's Emmys didn't take place in a labyrinth.

Darren Franich, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2022 In 2020, trying to dispute a medical bill that had gone into collections, I got stuck for most of an hour in a hellish labyrinth of broken voice prompts and singularly unhelpful call-center workers.

New York Times, 5 July 2022 Joe and Lily were calling out to each other in the labyrinth.

Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Aug. 2022 Investors play a big role in guiding these companies through the labyrinth.

Daniel Goldman, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 Delaney, a black cat as dark and mysterious as his name suggests, winds his way through a labyrinth of canvases in Amy Roach’s home studio.

Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 Investors are buying then, which spells good news for companies—the brokerages, the market makers, the exchanges, and so on—that are intertwined in the labyrinth of a process behind executing a trade.

Declan Harty, Fortune, 23 July 2022 Buildings and sidewalks, however, remained at the lower level, which resulted in a labyrinth of underground walkways.

Susan Glaser, cleveland, 30 June 2022 Embarking on a bizarre trip to discover what happened, Juan feels immersed in a labyrinth of incongruities, including pianos falling from the sky.

Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 26 May 2022 See More

单词	labyrinths
释义	labyrinth noun lab·y·rinth ˈla-bə-ˌrin(t)th -rən(t)th 1 a : a place constructed of or full of intricate passageways and blind alleys a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers b : a maze (as in a garden) formed by paths separated by high hedges 2 : something extremely complex or tortuous (see tortuous sense 1) in structure, arrangement, or character : intricacy, perplexity a labyrinth of swamps and channels guided them through the labyrinths of city life Paul Blanshard 3 : a tortuous anatomical structure especially : the internal ear or its bony or membranous part Did you know? Is there a difference between maze and labyrinth? Is there a difference between the words maze and labyrinth? Not so much; both words are used in reference to confusing networks of passages or channels, or for a thing that is complicated or confusingly elaborate. However, in origin the two words are quite different. Maze is presumed to come from an unrecorded Old English word masian (“to confuse”), whereas labyrinth has a more classical pedigree. Ancient Greek legends tell of King Minos of Crete, who had the inventor Daedalus create a labyrinth beneath his palace in which was housed the Minotaur, a fearsome monster with the head of a bull and body of a man. The Minotaur was said to have been slain by the Greek hero Theseus, who then managed to find his way out of the labyrinth with the aid of a ball of thread that had been given to him by Ariadne, the daughter of Minos. Synonyms maze rabbit warren warren See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences a complex labyrinth of tunnels and chambers The cockpit was a labyrinth of instruments and controls. a labyrinth of social customs and rules Recent Examples on the Web During her own raucously emotional acceptance, Lizzo kept demanding the Watch Out for Big Grrrls girls come down to join her — which would've been possible if this year's Emmys didn't take place in a labyrinth. Darren Franich, EW.com, 13 Sep. 2022 In 2020, trying to dispute a medical bill that had gone into collections, I got stuck for most of an hour in a hellish labyrinth of broken voice prompts and singularly unhelpful call-center workers. New York Times, 5 July 2022 Joe and Lily were calling out to each other in the labyrinth. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Aug. 2022 Investors play a big role in guiding these companies through the labyrinth. Daniel Goldman, Forbes, 8 Aug. 2022 Delaney, a black cat as dark and mysterious as his name suggests, winds his way through a labyrinth of canvases in Amy Roach’s home studio. Susan Degrane, Chicago Tribune, 6 Aug. 2022 Investors are buying then, which spells good news for companies—the brokerages, the market makers, the exchanges, and so on—that are intertwined in the labyrinth of a process behind executing a trade. Declan Harty, Fortune, 23 July 2022 Buildings and sidewalks, however, remained at the lower level, which resulted in a labyrinth of underground walkways. Susan Glaser, cleveland, 30 June 2022 Embarking on a bizarre trip to discover what happened, Juan feels immersed in a labyrinth of incongruities, including pianos falling from the sky. Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 26 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English laborintus, from Latin labyrinthus, from Greek labyrinthos First Known Use 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing labyrinth membranous labyrinth membranous labyrinth Kids Definition labyrinth noun lab·y·rinth ˈla-bə-ˌrinth : a place that has many confusing paths and passages Medical Definition labyrinth noun lab·y·rinth ˈlab-ə-ˌrin(t)th, -rən(t)th : a tortuous anatomical structure especially : the inner ear or its bony or membranous part see bony labyrinth, membranous labyrinth labyrinths noun plural of labyrinth as in mazes a confusing and complicated arrangement of passages we eventually realized that we were lost in the labyrinth of hallways in the museum Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance mazes warrens tangles jungles catacombs meanders rabbit warrens quagmires webs entanglements snarls snares entrapments traps knots cat's cradles
随便看	cubister cubistest cubistic cubists cubit cubit arm cubital fossa cubitale cubitalia cubiti cubitiere cubitieres cubito- cubits cubituses cubmaster cubo- cubo-octahedron cuboctahedral cuboctahedron cuboid cuboidal cuboidder cuboiddest cuboider

labyrinth

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing labyrinth

Kids Definition

noun

Medical Definition

noun

noun