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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
Words from Greek and
Achilles’ heel
Roman Mythology,
Definition: (n.) a weakness or weak spot; a point
of vulnerability
Languages, and
Origin: As an infant, Achilles was
dipped into the River Styx to make
him invulnerable to weapons. He
was, except for his heel where his
mother held him to dip him into the
water. Apollo shot an arrow into
his heel. Achilles died.
Literature
Adonis
Definition: (n.) a handsome suitor; an
extremely attractive young man
Origin: Adonis, was the beautiful
young man beloved by Aphrodite, the
Greek goddess of love and beauty.
Adonis was gored by a wild boar in
the hunt and died in the arms of
Aphrodite.
amazon
Definition: (n.) a strong, tall woman
Origin: Legendary nation of female
warriors in Greek mythology. One
of the Amazon warriors was
Hippolyte, whose magical girdle,
given to her by her father, Ares,
was the object of one of the
labours of Hercules.
aegis
Definition: (n.) protection, sponsorship
Origin: The shield or buckler
belonging to Zeus, supposedly made
by Hephaestus, decorated with
golden tassels and containing the
head of Medusa in the center.
ambrosia
Definition: (n.) something extremely pleasing to
taste or smell
Origin: A food or drink of the
gods from Greek mythology, usually
served on Mount Olympus
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
aphrodisiac
Definition: (n). an agent (as a food or drug) that
arouses or is held to arouse desire
atlas
Definition: (n.) a bound collection of maps often
including illustrations, informative tables, or
textual matter
Origin:
From Aphrodite, the Greek
goddess of love, lust, beauty, and
sexuality.
Origin: From Atlas, one of the
primordial Titans in Greek
mythology, whose punishment was to
hold the sky upon his shoulders.
chronicle
crony
Definition: (n.) a timeline of important events;
written record of the events, especially historical
events, written chronologically
Definition: (n.) long-standing friends; friends
who remain friendly over a long period of time;
contemporaries
Origin: Khronus (Chronus) was the
primeval god of time. His Roman
name was Saturn. He is sometimes
confused with Cronus, the Titan and
father of Zeus.
Origin: Khronus, (Chronus) was the
primeval god of time. His Roman
name was Saturn. He is sometimes
confused with Cronus, the Titan and
father of Zeus.
epidemic
Definition: (n.) a disease rapidly spread to all
people of a region or area
Origin: The first epidemic was a
result of Hera’s jealousy of
another of Zeus’s sons, Aeacus,
king of Aegina. She sent an
epidemic that destroyed the entire
island (all life). Aeacus then
became the key keeper for Hades,
and one of the judges of the dead.
fauna
Definition: (n.) the animals characteristic of a
region, period, or special environment.
Origin: From the Roman fertility
goddess, Fauna, who was also either
the wife, sister, or daughter of
Faunus.
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
flora; floral
Definition: (n.) plant or bacterial life
Origin: From Roman mythology,
Flora was the name of the goddess
of flowers and spring.
harpy
Definition: (n.) a predatory person; a shrewish
woman
Origin:
From Greek mythology, a
harpy was a ravenous, voracious
monster with the head and trunk of
woman and the tail, wings, and
talons of a bird.
hedonist
Definition: (n.) someone in pursuit of or
devotion to pleasure, especially to the pleasures
of the senses.
Origin:
Hedone is also the name
of the daughter of the Greek gods
Eros (Cupid) and Psyche, a beautiful
mortal woman.
gorgon
Definition: (n.) an ugly, frightening, or repulsive
woman
Origin: Medusa was a Gorgon, as
were her two sisters, Stheno and
Euryale. If one looked a Gorgon in
the eye, one turned to stone.
hectoring
Definition: (v.) bullying; intimidating, or
dominating
Origin: Hector was the hero of
Troy, who was “hectored” by
Achilles. After Hector’s death,
Achilles tied his body to a chariot
and drug it around the city of
Troy. Hector’s funeral is the end
of Homer’s Illiad.
Herculean
Definition: (adj.) having or needing
extraordinary strength, power, or size
Origin: From Herecles (Hercules),
the son of Zeus and Alcmene, a hero
of extraordinary strength who won
immortality by performing twelve
labors demanded by the Argive king,
Eurystheus.
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Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
hypnotic
iridescent
Definition: (adj.) inducing or tending to induce
sleep; soporific
Definition: (adj.) the property of certain
surfaces (like soap bubbles, rainbows, and
seashells, eyes) which appear to change color as
the angle of view changes
Origin: Hypnos (Somno), God of
Sleep, was the twin brother of
Thanato (God of Death). Hera asked
Hypnos to aid her in her attempt to
eliminate Herecles from Zeus’s
favor.
janitor
Definition: (n.) an usher or doorkeeper; one
who keeps the keys of the house; one in charge
of the household
Origin: In Roman mythology, Janus,
or Ianus, was the god of gates,
doors, doorways, beginnings and
endings. The month of January,
which begins the new year, is also
named for Janus.
labyrinthine
Definition: (adj.) confusing, winding, or
something complex or tortuous in structure,
arrangement, or character.
Origin:
A labyrinth was a maze
constructed by Daedalus for King
Minos of Crete and designed to hold
the Minotaur, half man and half
bull.
Origin: From the Greek goddess,
Iris, who is the personification of
the rainbow and acted as Hera’s
messenger.
jovial
Definition: (adj.) good-humored
Origin: In Greek mythology, Jove,
also known as Jupiter, was the King
of the Gods. When he wasn’t
tossing around lightning bolts,
Jove (Zeus) would probably be in
this mood.
laconic
Definition: (adj.) concise, almost to the point of
rudeness; short and to the point
Origin: Laconicus was a city of
Sparta; Spartans had a habit of
being terse in speech, preferring
to fight than talk
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
lethargic; lethargy
Definition: (adj.) the feeling of having no
energy or ambition; tired; lazy
Origin: The river Lethe, one of five
separating the underworld from the
land of the living, was also called
the river of forgetfulness or
oblivion. Souls who drank its waters
forgot about their past lives on
earth, and no longer cared to return.
lyric poem
Definition: (n.) a type of short poem expressing
personal emotion, sometimes sung
Origin: The earliest picture of a
lyre with seven strings appears in
the famous sarcophagus used during
the Mycenaean occupation of Crete
(1400 BC). The recitations of the
Ancient Greeks were accompanied by
lyre playing. Hermes (Apollo) made
himself a lyre. The lyre was
ordinarily played by being strummed
like a guitar or a zither, rather
than being plucked, like a harp.
martial
Definition: (adj.) of, relating to, or suited for
war or a warrior; relating to an army or military
life
Origin:
of war.
From Mars, the Roman god
His Greek name was Ares.
libation
Definition: (n.) the act of pour a liquid (wine or
olive oil) as an offering or sacrifice to a diety; the
drink being poured; a drink
Origin: The act of offering a
drink to a god/goddess was common
in Rome and Greece (for example, a
libation was offered to summon a
shade in Hades in The Odyssey).
This custom has been adopted by
many cultures. A libation is
offered to Poseidon (Neptune) when a
ship is named and puts to sea for
its maiden voyage.
marathon
Definition: (n.) a long race
Origin: Marathon was a plains area
in ancient Greece. The word became
associated with a race from story
of Greek hero, Pheidippides, who
ran the 26 miles and 385 yards to
Athens from the Plains of Marathon
to tell of the allied Greek victory
over Persian army in 490 B.C.
Herodotus then ran from Athens to
Sparta to seek aid, which arrived
too late to participate in the
battle.
mentor
Definition: (n.) a trusted counselor or guide; a
tutor
Origin: From Greek mythology,
Mentor was an old man who was the
friend of Odysseus. When Odysseus
left for the Trojan War he placed
Mentor in charge of his son,
Telemachus, and of his palace.
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Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
mercurial
Definition: (adj.) sprightly, volatile, quick, or
sneaky
Origin: From Latin Mercurius, the
Roman god, Mercury, who was god of
tradesmen and thieves. Later he
was associated with the Greek god,
Hermes, the fleet-footed messenger
of Zeus. The planet closest to the
sun, and the planet with the
fastest orbit, is named for Mercury.
mnemonic
Definition: (n.) a device for remembering
information
Origin: Mnemosyne, whose name meant
"memory or remembrance," was a
Titan, and the mother of the Muses.
narcissism
Definition: (n.) love of one's self or own body;
egoism, egocentrism
Origin: From Greek mythology,
Narcissus fell in love with his own
reflection in a pool of water and
eventually drown. How this
happened depends on the story, as
there a few different versions.
metamorphosis
Definition: (n.) a change of form or shape, especially
by witchcraft.
Origin:
Morpheus was the "shaper
of dreams" in Greek mythology as
the god of dreams and leader of the
Oneiroi. Morpheus has the ability
to transform into any human form
and appear in dreams.
muse
Definition: (v.) to be absorbed in thought; (n.)
a protector or inspiration for the arts
Origin: The Muses were the
protectors of the arts. The names
of the nine Muses, daughters of
Zeus and Mnemosyne, and their
specialties are traditionally:
Calliope (epic poetry), Clio
(history), Erato (love poetry, lyric
art), Euterpe (music, especially
flute), Melpomene (tragedy), Polymnia
(hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia
(comedy), Urania (astronomy).
nectar
Definition: (n.) the sweet liquid in flowers; a
sweet drink
Origin: From L. nectar "drink of
the gods.” See also ambrosia.
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
nemesis
Definition: One that inflicts retribution or
vengeance; one that demands justice
Origin: From Greek mythology, the
goddess of divine retribution,
Nemesis.
oracle
Definition: one who gives wise counsel or
foretells the future
Origin: Oracles in mythology
relayed the word of the gods to
humans. The Oracle of Delphi was
the most important oracle.
Odysseus consulted a dead oracle in
Hades in The Odyssey.
Pandora’s box
Definition: something that will cause a lot of
problems
Origin: Zeus gave Pandora a box
with instructions that she not open
it. Pandora gave in to her
curiosity and opened it. All the
miseries and evils of the world
flew out of the opened box to
afflict mankind forever.
odyssey
Definition: A long wandering or voyage usually
marked by many changes of fortune.
Origin:
The Odyssey is an ancient
Greek epic attritubed to the Greek
poet, Homer, mostly starring
Odysseus during his journey after
the fall of Troy.
panacea
Definition: a remedy for all diseases or ills
Origin: Panacea was the goddess
of healing. She was daughter of
Aesculapius, the god of medicine.
We also get the word hygiene from
her sister, Hygeia, goddess of good
health.
pandemonium
Definition: a time of wild, lawless confusion
Origin: Pandora opened the box
given to her by Zeus, releasing
evil into the world. What resulted
was pandemonium.
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
panic
platonic
Definition: A sudden overpowering fright.
Definition: broad love for spiritual or ideal
beauty; love of others; related to Plato
Origin: From Pan, a Greek god who
was the source of mysterious sounds
that caused contagious, groundless
fear in herds and crowds, or in
people in lonely spots. Pan was
often seen with the hindquarters
and horns of a goat.
plutocrat
Definition: the rule or power of the wealthy or of
wealth
Origin: From Greek god Plutus,
(Ploutos), son of Demeter and Iasion,
and the personification of wealth.
Zeus blinded Plutus so that he would
be able to dispense gifts of wealth
without prejudice. He was later
associated with the Roman god of the
underworld,, Hades. The Greek comic
satirist, Aristophanes wrote a play in
380 B.C., called Plutus, about the
god. In Dante's Divine Comedy, Pluto
is a wolf-like demon of wealth who
dwells in the fourth level of hell.
somnolent
Definition: sleepiness, related to a deep sleep
Origin: Somnos is the Greek name
for the Roman god of sleep, Hypnos.
Origin: The word comes from Plato,
(Aristocles) a Greek philosopher,
and his writings in “Symposium”
about the kind of love Socrates,
his mentor, had for others,
particularly his students.
siren
Definition: A woman who sings with enchanting
sweetness. A device often electrically operated
for producing a penetrating warning sound.
Origin: From the Greek sea nymphs,
the Siren, whose singing would lure
sailors to their destruction.
sophomore
Definition: a student in the second year of
university (or high school) study
Origin: A combination of two Greek
words, sophos, meaning "wise or
wisdom," +and moros, meaning
"foolish or dull." Sophomores are
considered to be foolishly wise, or
wisely foolish. Pallas Athena
(Minerva) was the Greek goddess of
wisdom. The Sophis were a society
of wise thinkers in Ancient Greece.
Woods-Stellman,
By the way, we also get D.the
wordEd. D.
Pre-AP English I
moron from moros.
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Words from Latin and Greek Mythology
stoic
Definition: One who is seemingly indifferent to
or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain
thespian
Definition: of or pertaining to dramatic acting
Origin: Inspired by the teachings
of Socrates and Diogenes, the Stoic
school of philosophy was founded by
Zeno in 300-315 B.C. Zeno taught
that people should be free of
passion, unmoved by joy or grief,
and submit without complaint to
unavoidable necessity.
Origin: From Thespis, a Greek poet
of 6 B.C., and the father of Greek
tragedy. His name, Thespis,
literally means “inspired by the
gods.”
Trojan horse
zephyr
Definition: A subversive group or device placed
within enemy ranks; a malicious software virus
hidden inside a harmless program
Definition: A breeze from the west, or a gentle
breeze.
Origin: Troy was an ancient city
named for the king of Phrygia, its
founder. The Trojan War, as told
in Virgil’s epic poem, The Aeneid,
ended with the Trojan horse. The
Greeks constructed a huge wooden
horse and hid a warriors inside,
allowing them to finally enter the
city of Troy and end the conflict
after a 10-year siege.
Origin: Zephyrus was the Greek god
of the west wind, who was the most
gentle of the winds. His siblings
were Boreas, the god of the north
wind, Eurus, the god of the east
wind, or Notus the god of the south
wind.
Reminder: You will be tested on these terms during the second week of school in August.
Suggestions for study:
1. Break the words into two groups. You may want to separate those you already know from those you don’t.
Or you may want to separate the nouns from the verbs and adjectives. Another way is to separate those from
names of Greek or Latin gods/goddesses into one group and those from literature into another. Decide which
makes more sense to you, or create your own groupings.
2. Study one group of words (25 or 26) each month. That’s only five words a week!
3. Write them! Type them! Create a game with them. Cut the cards apart and make flashcards.
4. Focus on the DEFINITIONS. The origins of the words should help and are pretty interesting, but the goal is
to recognize how the definition relates to the origin.
5. Pay attention as you read Mythology to the stories behind the names mentioned in the origins.
6. There is a difference between learning (and owning) a word and memorizing the definition for a test. The
goal here is to add these words to your working vocabulary so that you don’t have to memorize them. Good
Luck! 
D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D.
Pre-AP English I
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