Charybdis

C3H4A1R1Y4B3D2I1S1
/kəˈɹɪbdɪs/

proper noun

A dangerous whirlpool on the coast of Sicily opposite Scylla on the Italian coast.

OriginAncient Greek Χάρυβδις →
UncommonScrabble 20
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A dangerous whirlpool on the coast of Sicily opposite Scylla on the Italian coast.

    I have never yet been able to steer my lovers through the Scylla of presence, or the Charybdis of absence.

    1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Chapter XII. Lady Marchmont’s Journal.”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume III, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 85
  2. Greekhuman sciencesA personification of the above whirlpool as a female monster.
  3. Any dangerous whirlpool.

    Lo! the wave that for ever devours the wave / Casts roaringly up the charybdis again…

    1842 Schiller, Friedrich poem Der Taucher (written in 1797) published in English in Blackwood's Magazine volume 52
    2 more examples

    …that night, wee ſailed merrily by the Maſcarenas, a Charybdis in 21 degrees, var.13 and 17 minutes…

    1638, Sir Thomas Herbert, Some yeares travels into divers parts of Asia and Afrique

    The tide here sets in alternately from N. to S. and from S. to N., which causes the whirlpool of Galofaro, the Charybdis of the ancients.

    1832, James Bell, A system of geography, popular and scientific

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΧάρυβδις
  2. Ancient GreekΧάρυβδις
  3. EnglishCharybdis

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Χάρυβδις (Khárubdis).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Χάρυβδις
  • Χάρυβδις (Khárubdis)Greek mythological monster
Czech Charybda
  • CharybdaGreek mythological monster
Danish Charybdis
  • CharybdisGreek mythological monster
Finnish Kharybdis
  • KharybdisGreek mythological monster
French Charybde
  • CharybdeGreek mythological monster
German Charybdis
  • CharybdisGreek mythological monster
Greek Χάρυβδις, Χάρυβδη
  • Χάρυβδις (Cháryvdis)Greek mythological monster
  • Χάρυβδη (Cháryvdi)Greek mythological monster
Hungarian Kharübdisz
  • KharübdiszGreek mythological monster
Italian Cariddi
  • CariddiGreek mythological monster
Japanese カリュブディス
  • カリュブディス (Karyubudisu)Greek mythological monster
Korean 카리브디스
  • 카리브디스 (Karibeudiseu)Greek mythological monster
Latin Charybdis
  • CharybdisGreek mythological monster
Polish Charybda
  • CharybdaGreek mythological monster
Portuguese Caríbdis
  • CaríbdisGreek mythological monster
Russian Хари́бда
  • Хари́бда (Xaríbda)Greek mythological monster
Spanish Caribdis
  • CaribdisGreek mythological monster
Swahili Kharibdi
  • KharibdiGreek mythological monster
Turkish Haribdis
  • HaribdisGreek mythological monster
Ukrainian Харі́бда
  • Харі́бда (Xaríbda)Greek mythological monster
Cite this entry
APA

Charybdis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Charybdis

MLA

“Charybdis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Charybdis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Charybdis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Charybdis.

Source: Charybdis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.