odyssey
UK: ˈɒd.ɪ.si | US: ˈɑː.də.si
n. a long, adventurous journey marked by significant experiences or challenges
n. (figurative) an extended period of wandering or intellectual/emotional exploration
The word odyssey directly references The Odyssey, Homer’s 8th-century BCE epic poem. Odysseus’s name (Greek Odysseus) became the root, while the suffix -ey (via Latin -eia) generalizes the concept into a term for any epic journey. The evolution reflects how cultural narratives transform proper nouns into universal metaphors.
The astronaut’s memoir described his odyssey from rural childhood to space exploration.
Writing her thesis turned into a five-year intellectual odyssey.
The refugee’s odyssey across continents highlighted the global migration crisis.
Their road trip became a chaotic odyssey of breakdowns and detours.
The startup’s odyssey from garage to Fortune 500 inspired many entrepreneurs.