Centaur

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Centaur \Cen"taur\ (s[e^]n"t[add]r), n. [L. centaurus, Gr.
     Ke`ntayros.]
     [1913 Webster]
     1. (Class. Myth.) A fabulous being, represented as half man
        and half horse.
        [1913 Webster]


  
     2. (Astron.) A constellation in the southern heavens between
        Hydra and the Southern Cross.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  centaur
       n 1: (classical mythology) a mythical being that is half man and
            half horse
       2: a conspicuous constellation in the southern hemisphere near
          the Southern Cross [syn: {Centaurus}, {The Centaur}]

From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:

  CENTAUR, n.  One of a race of persons who lived before the division of
  labor had been carried to such a pitch of differentiation, and who
  followed the primitive economic maxim, "Every man his own horse."  The
  best of the lot was Chiron, who to the wisdom and virtues of the horse
  added the fleetness of man.  The scripture story of the head of John
  the Baptist on a charger shows that pagan myths have somewhat
  sophisticated sacred history.