Achilles heel
/əˈkɪliːz hiːl/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
Ἀχιλλεύς — The hero Achilles, son of Peleus and Thetis.
Overview
Meaning Now
- A point of vulnerability or weakness in an otherwise strong or protected entity.
Literal older meaning
The tendon at the back of the ankle (calcaneal tendon), named after the mythological Greek hero Achilles.
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → English
Earliest form
Achilles' heel
Earliest period
19th century
Journey
The term is derived from the Greek myth of Achilles. His mother, Thetis, sought to make him immortal by dipping him in the River Styx. Because she held him by his heel, that part of his body remained untouched by the protective waters, eventually leading to his death when he was struck there by an arrow guided by Apollo.
Evolution
- Ancient Greece
Ἀχιλλεύς
“Legendary hero of the Trojan War.”
According to myth, his mother dipped him in the River Styx, leaving only his heel vulnerable.
- 17th century
Achilles' heel
“Physical reference to the vulnerable spot.”
Earliest literary references appear in medical and poetic contexts.
- 19th century
Achilles heel
“Figurative weakness.”
Usage became standardized in English to describe any fatal flaw.
Connections
Word parts
Achilles
root
The hero name
heel
root
The back part of the foot
Related across languages
Latin
Achilles
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.