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Labyrinth

What is labyrinth?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Definition Place formed by intersecting streets or paths that is difficult to navigate and exit[1]
Figurative sense A confusing and tangled thing[1]
Anatomical sense Part of the inner ear, a set of cavities and ducts in vertebrates[3]
Literary sense A poetic composition whose verses can be read in multiple directions without losing rhythm or meaning[1]
Etymology From Latin labyrinthus, from Greek labýrinthos[2]

A labyrinth is a place made of intersecting paths or streets that makes it difficult to find one's way out, or figuratively, a confusing and tangled matter.

Context

The word labyrinth has several meanings depending on context. In general use, it refers to a place with intersecting paths that is hard to navigate and exit [1]. Figuratively, it describes something confusing and tangled [1]. In anatomy, it denotes the inner ear's cavities and ducts in vertebrates [3]. In literature, it is a poetic form with verses readable in multiple directions [1]. The term comes from Latin labyrinthus and Greek labýrinthos [2]. Some English sources separate labyrinth from maze, but the RAE does not make that distinction [4].

Documented claims

  • The term is also used to describe situations that are difficult to resolve. [3]
  • Some sources distinguish a labyrinth from a maze by having a single path to the exit, but this distinction is not in the RAE. [4]

Questions and answers

What was the meaning of labyrinth?

It meant a place of intersecting paths that is hard to find your way out of, or a confusing, tangled thing [1].

What is the meaning of the word labyrinth?

The word has several senses: a maze-like place, a confusing matter, the inner ear's structure, and a type of reversible poem [1] [3].

Why did David Bowie agree to do labyrinth?

The sources provided do not cover this topic.

Sources

  1. laberinto | Diccionario del estudiante | RAE — rae.es (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. laberinto - Definición — wordreference.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. ¿Qué es laberinto? Definición, concepto y significado. — diccionarioactual.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. laberinto | Diccionario del español de México — dem.colmex.mx (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Entertainment