Meaning & use
centaur
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Meanings
nouncountable
In Greek mythology, a creature with the head, arms, and upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse.
Grammar: Regular plural: centaurs. Used with 'a' or 'the': 'a centaur', 'the centaur'.
Patterns
- a centaur
- the centaurs
- centaur in Greek mythology
In the story, a centaur galloped out of the forest.
The museum has a famous statue of a centaur.
Centaurs were often shown as wild and untamed.
nouncountablefigurative
A similar creature in other myths or fantasy stories, or a person who rides a horse very well.
Grammar: Figurative use is less common; usually clear from context.
Patterns
- a centaur
- like a centaur
In the fantasy game, centaurs are skilled archers.
He rode so well that his friends called him a centaur.
Word forms
| plural | centaurs |
|---|
Common combinations
- a centaur in Greek mythology
- A centaur in Greek mythology often represents the conflict between reason and instinct.
- statue of a centaur
- The ancient statue of a centaur is missing one arm.
- centaurs and satyrs
- The painting shows centaurs and satyrs dancing in a forest.
Synonyms and how they differ
- half-human
- A general term for any creature that is part human and part something else; centaur is the specific horse-human creature.
Commonly confused: centaur or minotaur?
centaur vs minotaur
A minotaur has a human body and a bull's head, while a centaur has a human upper body and a horse's lower body.
Practice
In Greek mythology, a centaur is a creature that is half human and half ______.
Choose one answer.
A centaur has the lower body of a horse. A bull is part of the minotaur, a lion is part of a griffin, and a goat is part of a satyr.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “centaur”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.