Centaur
noun /ˈsen.tɔːr/ — A creature half-human, half-horse; the tension between reason and instinct
Definition
A creature of Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse — embodying the conflict and potential harmony between the rational mind and animal nature.
Beyond the definition
The self divided. The centaur is the most honest mythological creature — it makes visible the thing most people feel internally: that you are partly civilised and partly wild, and neither half is entirely in charge.
Origin & history
From Greek 'Kentauros' — etymology disputed, possibly 'bull-killer' or related to the Gandharvas of Indian myth. The centaurs of Greek tradition were mostly wild and violent, with the exception of the wise Chiron, who tutored Achilles and Asclepius.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Chiron the centaur was the exception among his kind — patient, learned, a teacher of heroes — which made his mortality by Heracles' poisoned arrow all the more tragic.
The centauromachy — the battle between Lapiths and centaurs — was a favourite subject of Greek art, representing civilisation's struggle against barbarism.
To call someone centaurian is to note that their intellect and their appetites are in an interesting, unresolved tension.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Centaur” when the meaning fits your context: A creature of Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse — embodying the conflict and potential harmony between the rational mind and animal nature.
Synonyms
half-human, mythic hybrid
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Centaur" mean?
Centaur is noun meaning: A creature half-human, half-horse; the tension between reason and instinct. A creature of Greek mythology with the upper body of a human and the lower body and legs of a horse — embodying the conflict and potential harmony between the rational mind and animal nature.
Where does the word "Centaur" come from?
From Greek 'Kentauros' — etymology disputed, possibly 'bull-killer' or related to the Gandharvas of Indian myth. The centaurs of Greek tradition were mostly wild and violent, with the exception of the wise Chiron, who tutored Achilles and Asclepius.