In Greek mythology, the impetuous son of the inventor Daedalus. After the labyrinth be built for King Minos was 'solved' by Theseus, Daedalus was forbidden to leave the island of Crete. Being a wily inventor, he created wings from feathers and wax for he and his son to escape. Although Icarus was warned not to fly too close to the sun, he became bold and careless while flying, and the wings fell apart, sending him crashing to his death in the sea below.