What does adonis mean?
An adonis is an strikingly handsome young man — the kind of person whose looks draw attention the moment they enter a room. The word comes from Greek mythology: Adonis was a youth of such beauty that the goddess Aphrodite fell in love with him, and his early death while hunting became one of antiquity's most famous tales of love and loss. Since at least the seventeenth century, English speakers have used his name as a byword for male beauty, much as 'Helen of Troy' evokes female beauty. Today the term is applied almost exclusively to men, often in journalism, fiction, and casual conversation, and it carries connotations that range from sincere admiration to playful irony. Calling someone an adonis implies more than good looks — it suggests a youthful, almost sculptural perfection, which is why the word remains a vivid alternative to plainer terms like 'good-looking' or 'attractive'.
An extremely handsome young man.
"Every magazine seemed to feature the same tanned adonis on its cover."
Used only of men; often slightly tongue-in-cheek.
(Capitalized) In Greek mythology, a beautiful youth loved by Aphrodite, killed by a boar; also a genus of plants (family Ranunculaceae) with bright red or yellow flowers.
"The myth of Adonis has inspired painters from Titian to Rubens."
The standard plural adds -es; the capitalized mythological name is normally unpluralized except when referring to multiple figures named Adonis.
"The casting call attracted a parade of self-styled adonises."
A word so tied to male beauty that botanists named a whole genus of scarlet flowers after the same mythological youth — and there's even a butterfly called the adonis blue.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of adonis
The word derives from the Greek Adōnis, the name of the mythological youth beloved by Aphrodite, whose beauty made his name proverbial. English adopted it as a common noun in the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century, when allusions to classical mythology were fashionable in literature. Related forms include the adjective 'Adonic', describing verse modeled on the meter of laments for Adonis, and the botanical genus name Adonis, given to a group of flowering plants.
Related word forms
How adonis is actually used
Almost always used of men, and usually with a tone that is admiring but can be playful, ironic, or faintly objectifying. It is informal to neutral in register and typically appears in journalism and light prose rather than formal writing. Capitalized, it refers to the mythological figure or the plant genus.
Easily confused with adonis
Lowercase 'adonis' is the common noun meaning a handsome man, while capitalized 'Adonis' refers specifically to the figure from Greek mythology.