Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun One of the three Fates, the cutter of the thread of destiny.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun [lowercase] A neuropterous insect of the genus Atropos.
  • noun A genus of neuropterous insects, of the family Psocidæ: synonymous with Troctes.
  • noun A genus of venomous serpents.
  • noun A genus of lepidopterous insects.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun Greek mythology One of the three Fates, or Moirae, daughter of Zeus and Themis; the cutter of the thread of life

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the Greek goddess of fate who cuts the thread of life

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek, from atropos, inexorable : a-, not; see a– + tropos, changeable; see –tropous.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek Ἄτροπος, literally meaning inflexible or not turning, from the Greek a-, (not) + tropos, (to turn).

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Atropos.

Examples

  • Like the time -- the 'Atropos' came in just after we touched down.

    A Question of Courage Virgil Finlay 1951

  • "I doubt if Mistuh Comber is im-pressed by the rhetoric of the camp-meetin ', Clotho," says Atropos.

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • "You think right, suh, an 'I daresay you are familiar with the classical names we three have adopted, bein' those of the Parcae - Lachesis, Clotho, an 'myself, Atropos - tho' I hope to convince you that those of the Eumenides would have been more fittin '."

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • I told him, and Clotho gave a muffled grunt, while Atropos let smoke trickle slowly out of his nostrils, and nodded over my head to Joe.

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • It was plain from her account that loathing of Atropos was the ruling passion of her life, and knowing her cold and selfish nature, I found that odd.

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • Good luck to you, Joe, thinks I, if ever Atropos kicks the bucket unexpected and you become the widow's property.

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • Hornblower and the Hotspur, and Hornblower and the Atropos.

    Illustration Friday: Breakfast 2010

  • They hadn't been idle days, exactly, and Crixus, Atropos, and Mandeville had seen to it that my nights weren't tranquil either, so it was small wonder I was tuckered out - I had sense enough, though, before we reached Boston, to tie the Tranter to my knee beneath the trouser, in case the watchful Joe decided to search me as I slept.

    THE NUMBERS 2010

  • Ares is coming… Keres too… for if Nemesis is here, then the Moerae are too or the Morrigan if your irish, of the sisters if your a fan of “that play”… Clothos laughed, as Lachesis wove, and will Nemisis keep the play going from Atropos?

    Hanson on Obama’s hubris/nemesis 2010

  • The others let out gasps and excla - mations - Annette gave a shrill didn't-I-tell-you-so laugh - but Atropos just drew on his cigarette and asked: "Why should we pay you when we can compel you?"

    THE NUMBERS 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.