What does tantalus mean?
Tantalus is a figure from Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Pelops, whose punishment was to stand beneath a tree bearing fruit while surrounded by water yet be unable to eat or drink. The story became a lasting symbol of intense but frustrated desire: the desired thing is present, but its attainment is continually prevented. The name Tantalus is sometimes used more generally for a person in such a predicament, although this extension is relatively uncommon in modern English. The myth also lies behind the English verb tantalize, meaning to tease or excite someone with a prospect that cannot be fulfilled. References to Tantalus therefore often carry connotations of torment, futility, exclusion, and the painful proximity of something desirable. They commonly appear in discussions of classical mythology, literature, art, and metaphorical descriptions of impossible desires.
nounIn Greek mythology, Tantalus is the son of Zeus and Pelops, condemned to stand in water and beneath a fruit-bearing tree while being unable to drink or eat. By extension, the word can refer to a person who endures a tantalizing desire or frustrated expectation.
- In Greek mythology, the son of Zeus and Pelops, punished with perpetual hunger and thirst.
- By extension, a person who is kept in a state of frustrating or unattainable desire.
"The myth of Tantalus has long been used to represent the frustration of having something desirable just out of reach."
"The sculptor captured the torment of Tantalus in the arrangement of water and fruit."
"For many readers, the scene remains a vivid picture of a tantalizing promise that can never be fulfilled."
The plural is rare because the ordinary noun is primarily a name or a literary extension of the mythological figure.
"The poem describes several modern figures as new Tantaluses, each held apart from what they most desire."
Tantalus was given food and water but could never reach either: an ancient image of desire that remains permanently out of reach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does tantalus come from?
The English form comes through Latin from Greek Τάνταλος (Tántalos), the name of the mythological king and son of Zeus and Pelops. The Greek name was later applied to the punishment of perpetual hunger and thirst and became the source of the English verb tantalize. The related English derivatives express the teasing or frustrating quality associated with the myth.
How tantalus is actually used
The name is usually capitalized when referring directly to the mythological figure: Tantalus. It is uncommon as an ordinary English noun and is primarily encountered in literary, historical, or mythological contexts.
Easily confused with tantalus
Tantalus is a mythological figure or a noun referring to someone who is frustrated by an unattainable desire, whereas tantalize is a verb meaning to tease or excite someone with something they cannot have.