# odyssey

/ˈɑdəsi/ (US) · /ˈɒdɪsi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/odyssey
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a long journey

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a long, exciting journey with many adventures and problems to solve.

For teachers: an extended adventurous voyage, often involving a series of wanderings and hardships.

- The family began a three-year odyssey across the continent in an old van.
- His physical odyssey through the remote mountain passes was marked by extreme weather and unexpected hospitality from local villagers.

### 2. a personal or spiritual quest

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

a long process of learning or changing your ideas and feelings.

For teachers: an intellectual or spiritual quest marked by significant personal development or discovery.

- The book describes her spiritual odyssey from doubt to deep faith.
- The documentary tracks the scientist's intellectual odyssey as he moved from traditional physics toward more controversial theories of time.

### 3. the Greek epic poem

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal

the famous ancient Greek poem about the hero Odysseus and his journey home.

For teachers: the Ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, detailing the ten-year journey of Odysseus to Ithaca.

- Students often read the Odyssey to learn about ancient Greek culture.
- Scholars continue to debate the oral traditions that shaped the Odyssey before it was finally committed to writing.

## Examples

- The trip across the desert was a true odyssey.
- Her search for the perfect recipe became a culinary odyssey spanning three continents.
- The novel traces the protagonist's odyssey from a sheltered childhood to a hard-won independence, mapping each stage of her emotional growth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.