Laertes

noun

La·​er·​tes lā-ˈər-tēz How to pronounce Laertes (audio)
-ˈer-
1
: the father of Odysseus in Greek mythology
2
: the son of Polonius and brother of Ophelia in Shakespeare's Hamlet

Examples of Laertes in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Hamlet is the extreme case, but Ophelia, Gertrude, and even Laertes suffer from versions of this paralysis. — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 11 May 2026 In Act 2, there are five characters interacting quite quickly with Polonius coming in and Laertes coming in. — Peter Larsen, Oc Register, 15 Jan. 2026 In Shakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia is Polonius' daughter, Laertes's sister, and the lover of Prince Hamlet. — Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025 Joe Alwyn stars as Laertes and Morfydd Clark is Ophelia, while Timothy Spall and Sheeba Chaddha feature as Polonius and Gertrude, respectively. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Laertes

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Laertēs

First Known Use

circa 1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Laertes was circa 1565

Browse Nearby Words

laeotropic
Laertes
laesio enormis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Laertes.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Laertes. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Laertes

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Laertes

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