in ancient Greek stories, a creature which was half a man and half a bull (=a male cow) , which was kept in a labyrinth (=a complicated network of paths which it is difficult to find your way out of) and was given young men and women to eat. It was killed by Theseus. In Greek mythology, a monster of Crete with the body of a man and the head of a bull. It was the offspring of Pasiphaë , wife of King Minos, and a snow-white bull sent by Poseidon and intended for sacrifice. When Minos kept it instead, the god punished him by making his wife fall in love with the bull. The Minotaur (whose name means "Minos bull") was imprisoned in the Labyrinth built by Daedalus. After defeating Athens in a war, Minos forced the Athenians to send human tribute to be devoured by the Minotaur. The third year the tribute was sent, Theseus volunteered to go, and with the help of Ariadne he killed the monster