Labyrinth
1. An edifice or place full of intricate passageways which render it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance; as, the egyptian and Cretan labyrinths.
2. Any intricate or involved inclosure; especially, an ornamental maze or inclosure in a park or garden.
3. Any object or arrangement of an intricate or involved form, or having a very complicated nature. The serpent . . . Fast sleeping soon he found, in labyrinth of many a round self-rolled. (Milton) The labyrinth of the mind. (Tennyson)
4. An inextricable or bewildering difficulty. I’ the maze and winding labyrinths o’ the world. (Denham)
5. (Science: anatomy) The internal ear. See note under ear.
6. (Science: chemistry) a series of canals through which a stream of water is directed for suspending, carrying off, and depositing at different distances, the ground ore of a metal.
7. A pattern or design representing a maze, often inlaid in the tiled floor of a church, etc.
Synonym: maze, confusion, intricacy, windings.
labyrinth, maze. Labyrinth, originally; the name of an edifice or excavation, carries the idea of design, and construction in a permanent form, while maze is used of anything confused or confusing, whether fixed or shifting. Maze is less restricted in its figurative uses than labyrinth. We speak of the labyrinth of the ear, or of the mind, and of a labyrinth of difficulties; but of the mazes of the dance, the mazes of political intrigue, or of the mind being in a maze.
Origin: L. Labyrinthus, gr. Labyrinthos: cf. F. Labyrinthe.
Dictionary > Labyrinth
You will also like...

Plant Auxins – Phototropism & Geotropism
Plants produce hormones to regulate their growth. Auxins, for instance, influence plant growth. Know the role of auxin i..

Movement of Molecules Across Cell Membranes
Molecules move within the cell or from one cell to another through different strategies. Transport may be in the form of..

New Zealand’s Unique Fauna
Meet some of New Zealand's unique fauna, including endemic insects, frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals, and investigate..

Plant Water Regulation
Plants need to regulate water in order to stay upright and structurally stable. Find out the different evolutionary adap..

Plant Cell Defense
Plants protect themselves by releasing hydrogen peroxide to fight against fungal invasion. Another way is by secreting c..

Adaptation Tutorial
Adaptation, in biology and ecology, refers to the process or trait through which organisms or the populations in a habit..