Meaning & use
Teucer
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Meanings
proper nounproperformal
In Greek mythology, a skilled archer from Salamis who fought on the Greek side in the Trojan War.
Grammar: Used as a name; it takes no article and is normally capitalized: Teucer shot well.
Patterns
- Teucer, son of Telamon
- Teucer fought at Troy
In the Iliad, Teucer stands behind Ajax's shield and shoots at the Trojans.
Teucer was famous among the Greeks for his skill with the bow.
Later stories say Teucer was banished by his father and founded a new city.
proper nounproperformal
In Greek mythology, an ancestor of the Trojans and the first king of Troy, son of the river god Scamander.
Grammar: A name, so no article is used: Teucer ruled Troy.
Patterns
- King Teucer of Troy
- Teucer, son of Scamander
Ancient writers call Teucer the earliest king of the Troad.
According to the myth, Teucer welcomed Dardanus and gave him land and a daughter in marriage.
The name Teucer is shared by two different figures in Greek legend, so readers must check the context.
Common combinations
- Teucer, son of Telamon
- Teucer, son of Telamon, was a half-brother of the great Ajax.
- Teucer the archer
- Poets often call him Teucer the archer because of his skill with the bow.
- King Teucer of Troy
- King Teucer of Troy appears in early accounts of the city's founding.
- the legend of Teucer
- The legend of Teucer was well known to Athenian playwrights.
- Teucer founded Salamis
- Some traditions say Teucer founded Salamis on Cyprus after leaving home.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Teukros
- The same name in a more direct Greek transliteration; use it in discussions of Greek texts rather than in general English writing.
Word family
- Teucrian adjective
- Relating to the Trojans or to the Troad, an old poetic term.
- Teucri proper noun
- An old name for the Trojans as a people.
Commonly confused: Teucer or Tencer? Teucer or Trojan?
Teucer vs Tencer
A surname or a misspelling; it is not the mythological name.
Teucer vs Trojan
Trojan means a person from Troy, while Teucer is the name of two particular legendary figures.
Practice
Which sentence uses the name correctly?
Choose one answer.
Proper names take no article and usually a singular verb: 'Teucer was...'. Option 2 wrongly uses a plural verb, and options 3 and 4 wrongly add an article.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “Teucer”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.