a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a man. It was kept in the Labyrinth in Crete, feeding on human flesh, until destroyed by Theseus
Word origin
C14: via Latin from Greek Minōtauros, from Minos + tauros bull
Minotaur in American English
(ˈmɪnəˌtɔr)
noun
Greek Mythology
a monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull (in some versions, with the body of a bull and the head of a man), confined by Minos in a labyrinth built by Daedalus, and annually fed seven youths and seven maidens from Athens, until killed by Theseus
see also Pasiphaë
Word origin
ME Minotaure < L Minotaurus < Gr Minōtauros < Minōs, Minos + tauros, a bull, akin to L taurus: see Taurus
Examples of 'Minotaur' in a sentence
Minotaur
He phoned from under a plastic bubble in the entrance hall, beside the fresco of a rampant Minotaur.
Curzon, Clare THE QUEST FOR K (2002)
Whatever the truth of the Minotaur legend, there was an actual labyrinth of rooms in the palace.
Curzon, Clare THE QUEST FOR K (2002)
Only a Minotaur fresh from the Cretan labyrinth would feel at home in the newer parts of Warrington.
Val McDermid KICK BACK (2002)
A giant robot Minotaur straddled the train platform, raising and lowering a golden double-bladed ax.