Horus

noun

Ho·​rus ˈhȯr-əs How to pronounce Horus (audio)
: the falcon-headed Egyptian god of light and the son of Osiris and Isis

Examples of Horus 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.
For Egyptians, crops would not grow without Horus and his benevolent eye shining down between the clouds. — Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 It’s layered with symbols — the Eye of Horus, a hand, a bird. — Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026 The Temple of Horus tells the tale of the legendary battle between Horus, the falcon god, and his uncle Set, the god of chaos, unfolding across the temple walls in incredible detail. — Sarah Kingdom, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026 It was found along the Horus War Road, a chain of strongholds in Sinai that served as a military and commercial artery connecting Egypt with Palestine. — Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2025 As for the new story, Warhammer 40K veteran Ben Counter (Grey Knights, Horus Heresy) is behind the wheel. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 1 Oct. 2025 Her collections incorporate ancient motifs, such as Nekhbet the vulture goddess, the eye of Horus, and geometric shapes found in the temples of Thebes, paired with one-off gemstones and precious metals. — Nicola Chilton, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2025 The movie starred Gerard Butler as the nasty, jealous god Set, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Horus, Geoffrey Rush as Ra, Bryan Brown as Osiris, and Chadwick Boseman at Thoth. — Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025 According to ancient Egyptian religion, Osiris was killed by his brother Seth, but Osiris’ son Horus resurrected his father with a wave of his staff. — Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 8 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin, from Greek Hōros, from Egyptian Ḥr

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Horus was in 1832

Rhymes for Horus

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Browse Nearby Words

hortus siccus
Horus
Horvitz
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Cite this Entry

“Horus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Horus. Accessed 6 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Horus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Horus

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