Charon

1. Greekhuman sciencesThe ferryman of Hades, who rowed the shades of the dead across the river Styx.

   But then, what though the mystic Three Around me ply their merry trade? — And Charon soon may carry me Across the gloomy Stygian glade?

   1897, Edwin Arlington Robinson, “Ballade by the Fire”, in Children of the Night

   1 more example

   The Ghoſts rejected, are th’ unhappy Crew Depriv’d of Sepulchers, and Fun’ral due. The Boatman, Charon; thoſe, the bury’d hoſt, He Ferries over to the Farther Coaſt.

   1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 375, lines 445–448

2. astronomyThe largest of the five moons of Pluto.

   Last week Nasa released its highest resolution photos yet of the dwarf planet and its largest moon, Charon, revealing new mysteries that its spacecraft New Horizons had uncovered at the edge of the solar system.

   2015 October 6, Alan Yuhas, “Images of Pluto and Charon continue to captivate Nasa: 'This world is alive'”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: ⯕

plural Charons

1. poeticAny ferryman.