hector

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: B2 — Upper-Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun (Greek mythology) a mythical Trojan who was killed by Achilles during the Trojan War
  2. verb be bossy towards

Etymology

From Hector (“in Greek and Roman mythology, a character in Homer’s Iliad who is the greatest warrior of Troy”), from Late Middle English Hector (“warrior with the qualities of Hector”), from Latin Hectōr or Ancient Greek Ἕκτωρ (Héktōr), from ἕκτωρ (héktōr, “holding fast”), from ἔχειν (ékhein), present active infinitive of ἔχω (ékhō, “to have, own, possess; to hold”), from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- (“to hold; to overpower”). The verb is derived from the noun.

In classic literature

A single word — an entire dictionary opens.

Type a word, a sentence, a book title, or a link to an English article. WordNet and the Classics answer.

Try

A library of classics · a vault of words · instant etymology & meaning

Continue reading