Oedipus is a name from ancient Greek, and it literally means “swollen foot.”

Quick meaning

  • The name Oedipus comes from Greek:
    • oideˉoidēoideˉ / oidaooidaooidao = to swell
    • pouspouspous = foot
      So together it means “swollen foot.”
  • In the myth, baby Oedipus has his ankles pierced and tied so he cannot crawl, which is why he gets that name.

Who Oedipus is (in myth)

  • Oedipus is a legendary king of Thebes in Greek mythology.
  • He is the son of King Laius and Queen Jocasta.
  • A prophecy says he will kill his father and marry his mother; despite his and his parents’ attempts to avoid this, he ends up doing exactly that without knowing their true identities.

How the word is used today

  • In everyday language, “Oedipus” by itself usually refers to this tragic character from Greek myth or from Sophocles’ famous play Oedipus Rex (also called Oedipus Tyrannus).
  • The name is also the basis for the psychological term “Oedipus complex” (from Freud), which refers to a child’s unconscious attraction to the opposite-sex parent and rivalry with the same-sex parent.

TL;DR:
“What does Oedipus mean?” → Literally “swollen foot,” and it’s the name of the tragic Greek king who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother.

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