What does "actaeon" mean?
A cuckold.
Actaeon
/ækˈtiːən/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A cuckold.
- Grammar: actaeon is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: eponym, legendary hunter, mythic figure, mythical hunter.
- Useful contrasts: historical figure, non eponym, non namesake.
- Usage evidence: Actaeon, a famous hunter, having accidentally seen Artemis on Mount Cithaeron while she was bathing, was changed by her into a stag, and pursued and killed by his fifty hounds.
How to use "actaeon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "actaeon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "actaeon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "actaeon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "actaeon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "actaeon" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "eponym" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "actaeon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A cuckold. archaic, slang
"[…] but I had the story from some French officers of distinction, who mentioned the name of the injured and prudent husband, and that he was a person of very high rank. That name, however, even if I had not forgotten it, I should not think it fair to repeat, because it would seem to be a matter of some moment to the gentleman though he was an Acteon, not to be thought so."
Verb
- 1 To cuckold. obsolete, rare, slang, transitive
"[…] where vaine glorious Ixion Proclaymed, that he was the Minion of Juno, and had Acteoned Jupiter: for which arrogancie, Jupiter threw him to Hell, with this pictured vengeaunce."
Proper Noun
- 1 Grandson of Cadmus, transformed into a stag by Artemis in book III of Ovid's Metamorphoses. Greek
"Amid so much prosperity, it was one of his grandsons, Actaeon, who first brought distress to Cadmus, when antlers, foreign to his human shape, sprouted from the youth's forehead, and his hounds gorged themselves on their master's blood."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
historical figurenon eponymnon namesakereal person
Example
"Actaeon, a famous hunter, having accidentally seen Artemis on Mount Cithaeron while she was bathing, was changed by her into a stag, and pursued and killed by his fifty hounds."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "actaeon"?
Common synonyms include: eponym, legendary hunter, mythic figure, mythical hunter, mythological figure, namesake.
How do you use "actaeon" in a sentence?
Actaeon, a famous hunter, having accidentally seen Artemis on Mount Cithaeron while she was bathing, was changed by her into a stag, and pursued and killed by his fifty hounds.
How do you pronounce "actaeon"?
Pronounced /ækˈtiːən/.
Etymology
From Latin Actaeōn, from Ancient Greek Ἀκταίων (Aktaíōn). In Greek mythology, Artemis transformed Actaeon into a stag with horns on his head. In European folklore, horns were considered the sign of a cuckold, whence the noun sense of Actaeon, "cuckold", and the verb sense "to cuckold", are derived. Compare horned, put horns on, etc.