noun
Amazon
AM-uh-zuhn
noun
1
A member of a legendary race of female warriors said to live near the Black Sea in Greek mythology.
"The vase painting showed an Amazon riding into battle."
2
A tall, strong, athletic, or fiercely independent woman.
"The rugby player was built like an amazon."
name
1
The Amazon River, the largest river by volume in the world, flowing through Brazil to the Atlantic.
"The Amazon carries more water than the next several biggest rivers combined."
2
The vast rainforest region surrounding the Amazon River basin in South America.
"Deforestation in the Amazon has accelerated in recent decades."
How to Use Amazon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the legendary warrior women of Greek myth, a powerfully built woman, or (capitalized) the river and rainforest in South America.
Common pairings
the Amazon rainforest
the Amazon basin
built like an amazon
Word Forms
Amazoned past tense, Amazons plural, Amazons plural, amazons plural, Amazons singular
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Etymology
From Ancient Greek Amazon, the name of the legendary warrior women; a popular but unproven folk story claims it comes from Greek for "without a breast", referring to a myth that they removed one breast to draw a bow more easily.