odyssey

Everyday

1. A long, exciting journey full of adventures and difficulties. tree →
2. (the Odyssey, a name) An ancient Greek epic poem, said to be by Homer, about the hero Odysseus and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War. tree →

In the lessons

Used in literature and history (myths, Greek legends: the Cyclops, the Sirens, Penelope waiting for Odysseus), and in everyday talk and stories for any long, eventful trip or experience ("Our journey to Granny's was a real odyssey").

Examples

• The Odyssey tells how Odysseus sailed home from Troy. tree →
• Getting home in the snow was a three-day odyssey. tree →
• In the Odyssey, Odysseus tricks the Cyclops. tree →
• Our school trip turned into an odyssey when the coach broke down. tree →
• The film follows a dog's odyssey to find its family. tree →
• Learning to read was a long odyssey for him. tree →

Note

Capital O for the poem ("the Odyssey"), lower case for any long journey. Plural "odysseys". Spelling: o-d-y-s-s-e-y. Related: Ulysses is the Roman name for Odysseus.