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herculean

[hur-kyuh-lee-uhn, hur-kyoo-lee-uhn]

Example Sentences Origin

adjective

requiring the great strength of a Hercules; very hard to perform: Digging the tunnel was a herculean task.

having enormous strength, courage, or size.

(initial capital letter) of or pertaining to Hercules or his labors.

Origin:
1590–1600; < Latin Hercule(us) of, belonging to Hercules + -an

Synonyms
1. prodigious, arduous, onerous, formidable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Herculean is always a great word to know.

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a fool or simpleton; ninny.

the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.

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Example Sentences

Given the difficulty of the conditions under which they had to work, their efforts were herculean.

Accomplishing that took more than herculean efforts.

The herculean efforts of staff and volunteers have created order in the landscape, and the plants are growing nicely.

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Collins

World English Dictionary

herculean (ˌhɜːkjʊˈliːən)

—*adj*
1.	requiring tremendous effort, strength, etc: a herculean task
2.	(sometimes capital) resembling Hercules in strength, courage, etc

Hercules, Heracles or Herakles¹ (ˈhɜːkjʊˌliːz)

—n
1.	classical myth Also called: Alcides a hero noted for his great strength, courage, and for the performance of twelve immense labours
2.	a man of outstanding strength or size

Heracles, Heracles or Herakles¹

—n

Herakles, Heracles or Herakles¹

—n

Hercu'lean, Heracles or Herakles¹

—*adj*

Hera'clean, Heracles or Herakles¹

—*adj*

Hera'klean, Heracles or Herakles¹

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

herculean

1593, from Hercules (c.1369, as Ercules), from L. Hercles, from Gk. Herakles name of a famous hero, son of Zeus and Alcmene; lit. "Glory (kleos) of Hera," from Hera + -kles (see Damocles).

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Matching Quote

"Such is always the pursuit of knowledge. The celestial fruits, the golden apples of the Hesperides, are ever guarded by a hundred-headed dragon which never sleeps, so that it is an Herculean labor to pluck them."

-Henry David Thoreau

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herculean

her·cu·le·an