Etymologically
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odyssey

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈɒdəsi/ (UK); /ˈɑdəsi/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It comes from the Odyssey, the Homeric epic of the wanderings of Odysseus after the fall of Troy,[2][3][4] via Latin Odyssea,[4] from Ancient Greek Ὀδύσσεια (Odússeia), from Odusseús “Odysseus”.[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The title of the epic poem, in English from about 1600 (1601 in the OED).[5][4]

Semantic evolution

The poem tells of Odysseus's ten-year struggle to return home to Ithaca.[4][6][5] The figurative sense, a long, adventurous journey with many changes of fortune, is recorded by 1889,[5][4][3] and was later extended to an intellectual or spiritual quest.[2][3]

Timeline

  • 1601 – the Homeric epic.[5][4]
  • before 1711 – Odyssean.[5]
  • 1889 – a long adventurous journey.[5][4][3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A long journey or series of wanderings full of adventure and changes of fortune.
  2. An intellectual or spiritual quest.

Word family

  • Odyssean
  • Odysseus
  • Ulysses

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House