A.Word.A.Day --herculean

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Today's Word

herculean

PRONUNCIATION:

(hur-kyuh-LEE-uhn, hur-KYOO-lee-)

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Requiring extraordinary strength or effort.
2. Having great strength or size.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Hercules, the son of Zeus and Alcmene in Greek mythology. Hercules performed many feats requiring extraordinary strength and effort, such as cleaning the Augean stables. Earliest documented use: 1594.

USAGE:

“It would take a herculean performance for someone to wrest the world sprint title away from Christine Nesbitt.”
Rita Mingo; Dutchman Has Race of His Life; The Calgary Herald (Canada); Jan 30, 2012.

See more usage examples of herculean in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Catch-and-release, that's like running down pedestrians in your car and then, when they get up and limp away, saying -- Off you go! That's fine. I just wanted to see if I could hit you. -Ellen DeGeneres, comedian, television host, and actress (b. 26 Jan 1958)

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