Leander

/liˈændər/ noun

Definition

A romantic hero from Greek mythology who swam across the Hellespont nightly to see his lover Hero; also a plant (oleander).

Etymology

From Greek 'Leandros' (lion-man). In mythology, Leander drowned when a storm extinguished the lighthouse guiding him. The oleander plant is called 'Leander' in some regions from association with the story.

Kelly Says

The real Hellespont (now called the Dardanelles Strait) is about 1.2 km wide and has dangerous currents—so if Leander actually existed, he'd be an Olympic-caliber swimmer doing something extremely risky for love, which is both romantic and incredibly foolish.

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