Scylla

S1C3Y4L1L1A1
/ˈsɪlə/

proper noun

A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirlpool Charybdis on the coast of Sicily. The passage between Scylla and Charybdis was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying between Scylla and Charybdis signifies a great peril on either hand.

OriginLatin Scylla ← Ancient Greek Σκύλλα →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. A dangerous rock on the Italian coast opposite the whirlpool Charybdis on the coast of Sicily. The passage between Scylla and Charybdis was formerly considered perilous; hence, the saying between Scylla and Charybdis signifies a great peril on either hand.

    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 said rock as a ravenous monster.
  3. Greekhuman sciencesA princess, daughter of King Nisos of Megara, who fell in love with King Minos and betrayed her city to him.

    Ah cease rash Youth! desist e'er 'tis too late, / Fear the just Gods, and think of Scylla′s Fate!

    1714, Alexander Pope, The Rape of the Lock, Canto III
  4. astronomyThe main belt asteroid 155 Scylla.

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΣκύλλα
  2. LatinScylla
  3. EnglishScylla

From Latin Scylla, from Ancient Greek Σκύλλα (Skúlla).

More words from Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Σκύλλα
  • Σκύλλα (Skúlla)personification of the rock
Esperanto Skilo
  • Skilopersonification of the rock
French Scylla
  • Scyllapersonification of the rock
German Skylla
  • Skyllapersonification of the rock
Greek Σκύλλα
  • Σκύλλα (Skýlla)personification of the rock
Hungarian Szkülla
  • Szküllapersonification of the rock
Italian Scilla
  • Scillapersonification of the rock
Japanese スキュラ, スキュレー
  • スキュラpersonification of the rock
  • スキュレーpersonification of the rock
Korean 스킬라
  • 스킬라 (Seukilla)personification of the rock
Latin Scylla
  • Scyllapersonification of the rock
Polish Scylla, Skylla
  • Scyllapersonification of the rock
  • Skyllapersonification of the rock
Portuguese Cila
  • Cilapersonification of the rock
Romanian Scila
  • Scilapersonification of the rock
Russian Сци́лла
  • Сци́лла (Scílla)personification of the rock
Spanish Escila
  • Escilapersonification of the rock
Swedish Skylla
  • Skyllapersonification of the rock
Ukrainian Скілла, Сци́лла
  • Скілла (Skilla)personification of the rock
  • Сци́лла (Scýlla)personification of the rock

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with Scylla

villamanilaAnguillagorillaGodzillaPriscillachinchillaflotillamanillaSillascintillaDrusillamaxillacedillapapillaaxillahydrillacamarillabarillamantillaperillaancillascillagranadilla
All rhymes →

Anagrams

scally
Cite this entry
APA

Scylla. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Scylla

MLA

“Scylla.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Scylla. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Scylla,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Scylla.

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