English Explanatory Dictionary

Sisyphean

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Incessant or incessantly recurring, but futile.
  2. Relating to Sisyphus.
adj
  1. Alternative form of Sisyphean.

Pronunciation

sīs'əfēʹən /ˌsɪsəˈfiːən/ En-us-Sisyphean.ogg

Word forms

Sisyphean Sisyphusean Sisyphian Sysyphean Sisyphic sisiphic

Etymology

From Sisyphus + -ean, from Ancient Greek Σίσυφος (Sísuphos). Sisyphus was a Greek mythical figure who was doomed to endlessly roll a boulder up a hill in Tartarus, only to have it roll back down again.

Synonyms

herd cats like painting the Forth Bridge

Derived words

Sisyphean labour
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