Telemachus

noun

Te·​lem·​a·​chus tə-ˈle-mə-kəs How to pronounce Telemachus (audio)
: the son of Odysseus and Penelope who contrives with his father to slay his mother's suitors

Examples of Telemachus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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His memory is also guarded by his son Telemachus (played in the movie by Holland). Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 7 July 2025 Then, Tom Holland, who is playing Telemachus, is shown talking with an unknown character played by Jon Bernthal. Lauren Huff Published, EW.com, 2 July 2025 His wife, Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, struggle to maintain order back home, where a handful of suitors compete for Penelope's affection, under the assumption that Odysseus is dead. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 2 July 2025 The trailer, which is currently playing in theaters but has leaked onto TikTok, X, Reddit and elsewhere, gives us what appears to be glimpses of the Trojan Horse, then moves to a scene between Holland’s Telemachus and Bernthal’s mystery character. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025 Then the trailer shows a scene with Tom Holland as Odysseus’ son Telemachus having a conversation with an as-yet-unnamed character played by Jon Bernthal. James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 1 July 2025 The teaser, which is 70 seconds long, briefly shows Matt Damon’s lead character Odysseus, his son Telemachus (played by Tom Holland) and a mystery character played by Jon Bernthal. Jordan Moreau, Variety, 1 July 2025 While Telemachus did not become addicted, many seeking solace from the pain and anger of separation have not been so fortunate. Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 May 2025 Meanwhile, in Ithaca, his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, struggle to preserve the kingdom, warding off relentless suitors who are convinced that Odysseus has died. Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Tēlemachos

First Known Use

circa 1556, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Telemachus was circa 1556

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Cite this Entry

“Telemachus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Telemachus. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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