Meaning & use
Poseidon
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Meaning
proper nounproper
The god of the sea in ancient Greek mythology, also linked to earthquakes and horses, usually shown carrying a trident.
Grammar: A name, so no article: Poseidon was feared by sailors.
Sailors prayed to Poseidon for a safe voyage.
Poseidon struck the ground with his trident and caused an earthquake.
In the story, Poseidon was angry with Odysseus.
Common combinations
- temple of Poseidon
- The temple of Poseidon stands on a cliff above the sea.
- the wrath of Poseidon
- The storm seemed to show the wrath of Poseidon.
- Poseidon's trident
- Poseidon's trident could shake the earth.
- god Poseidon
- The Greeks honored the god Poseidon with festivals.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Neptune
- Neptune is the Roman god of the sea, equivalent to Poseidon but part of Roman rather than Greek myth.
Word family
- Poseidonian adjective
- relating to Poseidon
- trident noun
- a three-pronged spear, Poseidon's symbol
- Neptune proper noun
- the Roman name for the sea god
Commonly confused: Poseidon or Zeus? Poseidon or Hades?
Poseidon vs Zeus
Zeus is the Greek king of the gods and ruler of the sky, while Poseidon is his brother, ruler of the sea.
Poseidon vs Hades
Hades is the Greek god of the underworld, another brother of Poseidon and Zeus.
Practice
In Greek mythology, Poseidon was the god of which of these?
Choose one answer.
Poseidon ruled the sea. Apollo is linked with the sun, Hades with the underworld and Demeter with the harvest.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Poseidon”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.