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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 Impact ECHS 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 Impact ECHS 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. D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D. Pre-AP English I Impact ECHS 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 Impact ECHS 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. D. Woods-Stellman, Ed. D. Pre-AP English I Impact ECHS 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 Impact ECHS 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 Impact ECHS 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. Impact ECHS 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 Impact ECHS