Elysium

noun

Ely·​si·​um i-ˈli-zhē-əm How to pronounce Elysium (audio)
-zē-
plural Elysiums or Elysia i-ˈli-zhē-ə How to pronounce Elysium (audio)
-zē-
1
: the abode of the blessed after death in classical mythology
2

Did you know?

This word came into Latin from the Greek Elysion. In classical mythology, Elysium, or the Elysian fields, was the home of the blessed after death, the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the pure. So it's easy to see how the word came to mean any place or state of bliss or delight. When we try to picture heaven, many of us probably see a lovely park; the great boulevard of Paris was named for the beautiful park that originally bordered it: the Champs-Elysées, or Elysian Fields.

Examples of Elysium in a Sentence

the mourners were comforted by their belief that the saintly woman was now experiencing the joys of Elysium the universal pipe dream that there exists somewhere an earthly Elysium where people live trouble-free lives
Recent Examples on the Web His spokesperson said that the trade was made as part of routine tax and estate planning and to boost the growth of his family office, Elysium Management. Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 28 Feb. 2024 The Destiny 2 community is aflame with fresh drama as 4x World’s First raider, Team Elysium’s Cruz, has been banned from the game for allegedly breaking Bungie’s guidelines on cheating software. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 His only chance for survival is to leave Earth and head to Elysium — the artificial world where the wealthy reside — which houses technology capable of curing any ailment. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 Jan. 2024 Two private companies, Celestis and Elysium, had contracted to have cremated human remains and DNA of clients put aboard the lunar lander for a cosmic burial. Claire Thornton, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2024 The Art of Elysium Heaven Gala The Art of Elysium, a non-profit organization with a focus on healing and inspiring through art, hosted its 2024 Heaven Gala in Los Angeles on Saturday, where Neil Gaiman was honored with The Visionary Award. Kirsten Chuba, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Jan. 2024 Two companies that specialize in memorial spaceflights for loved ones—Celestis and Elysium Space—launched human remains, including those of science-fiction creators Gene Roddenberry and Arthur C. Clarke. Ella Weaver, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Jan. 2024 The other company that flew on board Peregrine, Elysium Space, does not have future missions yet advertised. Richard Tribou, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2024 Celestis, as well as another company that provides similar services, Elysium Space of San Francisco, also has a payload on Peregrine. Kenneth Chang, New York Times, 8 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Elysium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Ēlysion

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Elysium was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near Elysium

Cite this Entry

“Elysium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Elysium. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Elysium

noun
Ely·​si·​um i-ˈlizh-ē-əm How to pronounce Elysium (audio)
-ˈliz-
: a place or state of ideal happiness
Elysian
-ˈlizh-ən
adjective
Etymology

derived from Greek Ēlysion, name in mythology of a place for the dead

More from Merriam-Webster on Elysium

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