Affiliate Disclosures
Table of Contents
- Panic from the Greek God Pan
- Echo as the Greek Mountain Nymph
- Cereal from the Name of the Roman Goddess of Agriculture
- Erotic from The God Eros
- Charity from the Greek Charis or Graces
- Music and Museas in The Ancient Greek Muses
- Fury as in The Greek Furies
- Cloth from the Name of One Of The Three Fates
- Mentor from the Odyssey
- Narcissism from the Narcissist
- Other interesting English Words with Mythological Origins
- In Conclusion
English words come from various sources, as the language was shaped by the influence of many older as well as different languages and cultures. As you’d expect, this means that quite a lot of English words come from other religions and mythological cycles.
What might surprise you, however, is that the vast majority of them come from an ancient culture at the exact opposite end of Europe. So, which are the 10 most commonly used English words with mythological origins?
As with many other things in Europe, many of the origins origin of the words we’ll mention below is ancient Greece. That’s despite there being little to no direct contact between the ancient Britain and Greece, as Latin served as a mediator between the two cultures.
Panic from the Greek God Pan
The Greek god Pan is famous as the god of the wilderness, spontaneity, music, as well as shepherds and their flocks. None of this feels overly panicky, but god Pan was also known for his ability to exercise emotional control over people and drive them into bursts of significant fear, i.e. panic.
Echo as the Greek Mountain Nymph
Another common word many don’t realize that comes straight from Greek is echo. That’s the name of another mythological creature, this time a nymph.
Gorgeous, like most other nymphs, Echo caught the eye of the thunder god Zeus, the chief god of ancient Greece and husband to the goddess Hera. Angered that her husband was once again being unfaithful to her, Hera cursed the nymph Echo so that she would be unable to speak freely. From that moment on, Echo was only able to repeat the words others had spoken to her.
Cereal from the Name of the Roman Goddess of Agriculture
For a short switch to ancient Rome, cereal is a modern word that actually comes from the name of the goddess Ceres – the Roman goddess of agriculture. This connection hardly needs explanation as this agricultural goddess was also associated with grain crops – the very thing cereal is made of.
Erotic from The God Eros
Another Greek god whose name we use quite often is Eros, the Greek god of love and sexual desire. The word erotic comes straight from him even though there are other Greek deities of love and desire such as Aphrodite.
Charity from the Greek Charis or Graces
The word Charity comes from a lesser-known Greek deity or, in this case – from the Three Graces of Greek mythology. Named Aglaea (or Splendor), Euphrosyne (or Mirth), and Thalia or (Good Cheer), in Greek the Graces were called Charis (χάρις) or Charites. Known to symbolize charm, creativity, beauty, life, nature, and kindness, the Charites are often represented in old paintings and sculptures.
Music and Museas in The Ancient Greek Muses
We’ve grouped these two words together for the simple reason that they both come from the same place – the ancient Greek muses. Deities of both art and science, the muses’ name became a word for inspiration and artistic zest but it also became the modern word for music not just in English but in almost all European languages as well.
Funnily enough, the Old English word for music was actually drēam – i.e. the modern word dream. All other languages that use the word music today also have their own old terms equivalent to drēam which goes to show just how fitting muse/music is to have become established in so many cultures.
Fury as in The Greek Furies
A very similar linguistic transition happened with the word fury which comes from the Greek Furies – the goddesses of vengeance. Like music, fury traveled from Greek to Roman, then to French and German, and to English. Fury may not have become as universal as music but its variation can still be seen in numerous other European languages that also took it from Greek.
Cloth from the Name of One Of The Three Fates
Cloth is as common of a word today as it is a material, yet most people have no idea where the word comes from. However, many have heard of the three Greek Moirai or Fates – the Greek goddesses that were responsible for how the world’s fate was about to unfold, similar to the Norns in Norse mythology.
Well, one of the Greek Fates was named Clotho and she was the one responsible for spinning the thread of life. Knowing that, the “thread” between the goddess and the modern English word becomes obvious.
Mentor from the Odyssey
The word mentor in English is quite recognizable – a wise and inspiring teacher, someone who takes the student under their wing and not only teaches them something but “mentors” them – a much greater and fuller experience than just teaching.
Unlike most other terms on this list, mentor doesn’t come from the name of a god but of a character from Homer’s The Odyssey instead. In this epic poem, Mentor is a simple character whom Odysseys entrust with the education of his son.
Narcissism from the Narcissist
Narcissism is a term we often throw rather easily around, but it actually refers to a genuine personality disorder. About 5% of people on Earth are believed to have malignant narcissism – the harshest extreme of narcissism, with many others being on a spectrum between that and “normality”.
As serious as narcissism is, however, the term’s origins come from a rather simple Greek myth – that of Narcissus, a man so beautiful and full of himself that he literally fell in love with his own reflection and died of this addiction.
Other interesting English Words with Mythological Origins
Of course, there are much more than just ten words in the English language that come from the mythologies. Here are a few other examples you may be curious about:
- Europe – From the beautiful princess Europa that Zeus falls in love with
- Chronology – From the name of god Cronus the god of time
- Iridescent – From the name of the Greek goddess Iris, goddess of the rainbow
- Phobia – From the Greek god of fear Phobos
- Nectar – As in the Greek drink of the gods called nectar
- Mercurial – From the Roman god Mercury
- Zephyr – From the name of the Zephyrus, the Greek god of the west wind
- Jovial – Coming from the other name of the Roman god Jupiter – Jove
- Hermaphrodite – As in the Greek god Hermaphroditos, son of Aphrodite and Hermes, whose body was joined with that of a nymph
- Ocean – Funnily enough, this word comes from the name of the Greek god Okeanus who was a river god
- Atlas – From the famous titan who held the entire world on his shoulders
- Nemesis – This is the name of the Greek goddess Nemesis, a goddess of vengeance specifically against arrogant people
- Friday, Wednesday, Thursday, Tuesday, and Saturday – To take a break from all the Greek gods, these five days of the week are named after the Norse gods Frigg (Friday), Odin or Wotan (Wednesday), Thor (Thursday), Tyr or Tiw (Tuesday), and the Roman god Saturn (Saturday). The other two days of the week – Sunday and Monday – are named after the sun and the moon.
- Hypnosis – From the Greek god of sleep Hypnos
- Lethargy – As in the Greek river Lethe that flowed through the Underworld
- Typhoon – From Typhon, the father of all monsters in Greek mythology
- Chaos – As in the Greek Khaos, the cosmic void around the world
- Flora and Fauna – From the Roman goddess of flowers (Flora) and the Roman god of animals (Faunus)
- Heliotrope – As in the Greek titan Hêlios who controlled sunrises and sunsets
- Morphine – From Morpheus, the Greek god of sleep and dreams
- Tantalize – From the evil Greek king Tantalus
- Halcyon – As in the legendary Greek bird halcyon that could calm even the strongest winds and waves
- Lycanthrope – The first myth about lycanthropes or werewolves is that of the Greek man Lycaon who was punished to become a wolf because he had resorted to cannibalism.
In Conclusion
While English is a mix of multiple other languages such as Old English, Latin, Celtic, French, German, Norse, Danish, and more, most of the words coming from those cultures don’t have mythological origins. That’s largely because the Christian church didn’t want other religions influencing people’s everyday lives. It’s also probably because all these cultures were very close and well-known to the English people.
So, using religious and mythological terms from nearby cultures to form nouns, denominatives, adjectives, and other words would have felt strange to the English people. Taking words from ancient Greek, however, was more palatable. Most English people in the Middle Ages likely didn’t even realize where those words were from. To them, words such as echo, erotic, or mentor were either “traditional English words” or, at best, they thought those words came from Latin.
The end result is that we now have dozens of English words that are literally names of ancient Greek and Roman gods.
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having an excessive or erotic interest in oneself and one’s physical appearance. (adj.)
The term «narcissism» comes from the Greek myth of Narcissus, a handsome Greek youth who rejected the desperate advances of the nymph Echo. These advances eventually led Narcissus to fall in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.
torment or tease (someone) with the sight or promise of something that is unobtainable. (verb)
The word «tantalize» comes from the plight of the mythological Tantalus, who so offended the gods that he was condemned in the afterlife to an eternity of hunger and thirst. He was made to stand in a pool in Tartarus, the Underworld zone of punishment. Each time he reached down for the water that beckoned to his parched lips, it drained away. Overhanging the pool were boughs laden with luscious fruit. But each time Tantalus stretched to pluck this juicy sustenance, the boughs receded from his grasp.
the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. (noun)
In Greek mythology Hypnos (in Latin, Somnus) was the god of sleep. The brother of Thanatos (Death) and the son of Nyx (Night), Hypnos lived, according to one tradition, in a land of perpetual darkness and mist.Nov 3, 2003
a sound or series of sounds caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener. (noun)
Echo, in Greek mythology, mountain nymph. She assisted Zeus in one of his amorous adventures by distracting Hera with her chatter. For this Hera made her unable to speak except to repeat another’s last words. She fell in love with Narcissus, but when he rejected her, she pined away until only her voice remained.
an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something. (noun)
Discover the myths surrounding Phobos, the Olympian Greek god of fear and panic. The role of Phobos was the malevolent god of fear and panic who brought alarm, confusion and dismay to the battlefields of mortals. He was the son of Aphrodite and Ares the god of war. Phobos and his brother Deimos, god of dread and terror, accompanied Ares in battle instilling fear, terror and panic resulting in a loss of control during conflicts. The word «phobia» meaning irrational fear derives from his name.
a mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater or vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapor, and gas are being or have been erupted from the earth’s crust. (noun)
In fact, the name itself is derived from an island in Greece, named Vulcano, which itself was named after the Roman god Vulcan. Volcanoes and the Greeks and Romans The Greek and Roman gods of fire and craftsmanship are called Hephaestus and Vulcan, respectively.Nov 2, 2012
of, relating to, or tending to arouse sexual desire or excitement. (adj.)
Eros was the Greek God of love and fertility. The Romans later called him Cupid. Eros has a long history, dating from Ancient Greece. God Eros was one of the most important gods in Ancient Greece, one of the three deities who created the world according to Hesiod’s Theogony, which describes the origin of the gods.
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Published April 16, 2020
Ancient Greek and Roman mythology have infused themselves into our lives for centuries—and continue to do so in our daily lives today. The influence of these myths can be seen in literature, art, entertainment, even in our language. In fact, many of the words we use regularly can be traced back to these early stories told by the Greeks and Romans featuring gods, demigods, and supernatural humans.
While some word connections may be familiar to those with even cursory knowledge of ancient mythology, others require a deeper dive into the tales that inspired the words.
So here are nine words we use for everyday things today that we have mythology to thank for. See how many surprise you!
herculean
When it comes to something that’s difficult and takes great effort or strength to overcome, we might describe it as herculean. This adjective is based on the Greek hero Hercules, a son of Zeus who was storied for his brawn.
To gain immortality, Hercules had to perform 12 extremely challenging feats known as the labors of Hercules. The tasks included things such as capturing Cerberus, the three-headed dog of the underworld, and taking the girdle of Hippolyta, the formidable queen of the Amazons.
Today, we use the term herculean for tasks that require a considerable amount of effort—though perhaps not as much effort as capturing the Cretan Bull (number seven on Herc’s list). For example, you might say: Getting my kids to eat vegetables takes a herculean effort on my part.
tantalize
This alluring word is all about temptation. Tantalize means “to torment with, or as if with, the sight of something desired but out of reach; tease by arousing expectations that are repeatedly disappointed.” For example, you might say: Just give me a cupcake; don’t tantalize me by eating that right in front of me!
The word stems from the name of a king in Greek mythology, Tantalus. He was punished for crimes he committed against the gods by being forced to remain in water up to his chin with fruit above his head—both of which would move just out of his reach each time he tried to eat or drink.
So, something tantalizing is just like that: being something you want just out of your reach. Everything from aromas to movie trailers to people can be described as tantalizing.
cereal
Do you start your day (or enjoy a midnight snack) with a bowl of cereal? Yes, even this breakfast staple can be traced back to mythology. In this case, we can thank Roman mythology.
For the name of all that deliciousness in a bowl, we can thank Ceres, a Roman goddess of agriculture. An essential part of the ancient—and modern—diet included cereal grains, such as wheat, rye, oats, rice, or corn. (The adjective form of Ceres is Cereālis, from which we get cereal.)
From Corn Flakes to Lucky Charms, cereal is, after all, made from edible grains—marshmallows aside!
Fun fact: one of the oldest ready-to-eat, cold breakfast cereals was called Granula, invented in 1863. Made from graham flour dough (wheat-based), it apparently had to be soaked for hours to make it edible. Yum?
narcissism
While confidence is admirable, narcissism can take it far into an overabundance of self-love and self-absorption. Her narcissism, you could say for the sake of example, was so intense, she couldn’t pass a single shiny surface without checking her reflection.
In Greek mythology, Narcissus was an extremely attractive young man who fell in love with himself when he saw his reflection in a pool. Even a beautiful nymph named Echo couldn’t compete, so in love with himself was Narcissus. Today we describe that kind of self-love as narcissism.
As we know, narcissists rarely wind up faring well in life. In Narcissus’s case, he was so in love with his image, he couldn’t stop himself from looking away from his reflection in the water—and eventually died right there from starvation and was transformed into the flower that bears his name.
Sounds like there’s a moral to this story …
WATCH: Where Did The Word «Narcissist» Come From?
panic
There’s fear, and then there’s panic, which is triggered by fear and makes people act hysterically or irrationally. While it may be uncontrollable in some cases, such as a panic attack, oftentimes, deep breathing or a bit of prudence may help quell it.
For example: Don’t panic when the stock market dips for a day and sell all your shares.
The word panic can be traced back to the ancient Greek god Pan, whose body was part man and part goat—a sight enough to make anyone panic! Lurking in woods, mountains, and caves, Pan was believed to be the source of loud noises. The noises could be so scary that they terrified anyone who heard them and could make them, well, panic.
nemesis
When someone or something is challenging for us and just can’t be beaten, we may call them our nemesis. For instance: My competitive co-worker, who is always trying to one-up me in front my boss, is my nemesis.
The word can be traced back to the Greek goddess of retribution and vengeance: Nemesis. She is said to be the one who led Narcissus to the pool to see his image (which ultimately led to his death; remember that slide on narcissism) because of how he so coldly rejected the beautiful nymph, Echo.
WATCH: Explain The Difference Between Enemy vs. Nemesis
hypnosis
Used by magicians and therapists alike, hypnosis is defined as “an artificially induced trance state resembling sleep, characterized by heightened susceptibility to suggestion.” For example, He couldn’t stop smoking, so he turned to hypnosis to help him quit. The verb hypnotize can be used literally, as in to put someone in a hypnotic state, but it can also be used more figuratively to describe charming or memorizing someone.
The term can be traced back to the Greek god of sleep, Hypnos. His Roman equivalent was Somnus, a name meaning “sleep” in Latin and source of such words as insomnia and somnolence.
How about this for a family? Hypnos was the son of Nyx (Night) and twin brother of Thanatos (Death). He lived in a cave into which no light entered. It was also surrounded by sleep-inducing plants, such as poppies. Zzzz.
Hypnos had three sons, who were known as bringers of dreams. Icelus delivered dreams about animals and Phantasus delivered dreams of inanimate objects. Morpheus, who brought dreams involving people, is probably the most familiar today. Can you guess why? (Hint: Click to the next slide to see if you’re right).
morphine
If you’re having a medical procedure, a doctor may order morphine to sedate you and ease pain. In the opioid family, it’s a drug that can be highly addictive. After major surgery, a doctor may tell you: I’m calling in a prescription for morphine, but take it only as prescribed and necessary.
The name for the drug, which was historically used as a sedative and sleep-inducing drug, comes from Morpheus, who was the Greek god of dreams and the son of Hypnos (see the previous slide). Morpheus was believe to send human shapes into dreams. His name was coined by the Roman poet Ovid, who based the name of the Greek morphḗ, meaning “form” and ultimate source of the word morph.
procrustean
Procrustean means “tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrary means.” For example, a teenager might say: My school’s procrustean dress code inhibits my self-expression.
The word comes from a chillingly violent dude in Greek mythology—Procrustes, a robber who was known for stretching or chopping off people’s arms and legs to fit in his iron bed. Ouch.
Procrustean is frequently used in an expression referencing his notorious bed: Procrustean bed, which is anything but a comfortable place to lay your head. A Procrustean bed means “a plan or scheme to produce uniformity or conformity by arbitrary or violent methods.”
- Atlas
Definition:
Noun
1: a collection of maps in book form
Atlas and his brother fought with the Titans in a war against the Olympians. When they were defeated, Zeus, the King of the Gods, condemned Atlas to hold up the heavens on his shoulders as punishment.
- Chaos
Definition:
Noun
1: a state of extreme confusion and disorder
2: the formless and disordered state of matter before the creation of the cosmosThe god Chaos personified the empty void that preceded the creation of the universe.
- Chronological
Definition:
Adjective
1: relating to or arranged according to temporal orderThe god Chronoswas the personification of time. He is imagined as a serpentine god with three heads – one of a man, one of a bull, and one of a lion. Along with Ananke (the personification of destiny), Chronos is known for splitting the world into the earth, sea, and sky. The words ‘chronic’ and ‘chronicle’ are also linked to Chronos. .
- Echo
Definition:
Noun
1: the repetition of a sound resulting from reflection of the sound wavesEcho was a nymph known for her loquaciousness, a trait she put to use by distracting Hera, the Queen of Gods, while Zeus was conducting affairs with the other nymphs. When Hera discovered the truth, she cursed Echo so that she could only repeat the words of others back to them. After being rejected by a young man called Narcissus, Echo supposedly wasted away until all that was left of her was her voice.
Tune in next week to read more about Narcissus!
- Halcyon
Definition:
Adjective
1: idyllically calm and peaceful; suggesting happy tranquillity
2: marked by peace and prosperityAlcyone and her husband Ceyx sacrilegiously referred to themselves as ‘Hera’ and ‘Zeus’. To punish them, Zeus threw a thunderbolt at Ceyx’s ship while he was at sea. Morpheus, the god of dreams, appeared to Alcyone as an apparition of Ceyx to tell her what had happened, and Alcyone, distraught, threw herself into the sea. The gods felt sorry for her and transformed them both into halcyon birds (kingfishers). The word ‘halcyon’, to mean peaceful, comes from ‘halcyon days’ (‘alkyonideshemerai’ in Greek) which refers to a period of calm weather at the winter solstice where a mythical kingfisher-like bird was said to breed in a nest that floated on the sea.
We’ll share more about Morpheus next week!
- Hypnosis
Definition:
Noun
1: a state that resembles sleep but that is induced by suggestionThe god Hypnos was the personification of sleep.His cave had poppies and other sleep-inducing plants at its entrance, no door (so that there were no creaking hinges), and the River Lethe flowing through it. The sound of the river’s running water was said to induce drowsiness.
The word ‘insomnia’ is linked to Somnus who was Hypnos’s Roman counterpart.
- Iridescent
Definition:
Adjective
1: varying in colour when seen in different lights or from different angles
2: having a play of lustrous rainbow coloursThe goddess Iris was the personification of the rainbow, and also a messenger to the other gods. Both the flower and the part of the eye are also named after the rainbow goddess.
- Laconic
Definition:
Adjective
1: brief and to the point; effectively cut shortLakonia (now Laconia) is a district near Sparta in Southern Greece. In Greek mythology, the Lakon people were known for their concise manner of speaking.
- Lethargy
Definition:
Noun
1: a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)
2: weakness characterized by a lack of vitality or energy
3: inactivity; showing an unusual lack of energyRemember the River Lethe that flowed through Hypnos’s cave? It was also known as the river of forgetfulness and word ‘lethargy’ derives from it. Lethe was one of the five rivers of the underworld and the dead were made to drink from it in order to forget their lives on earth. The goddess Lethe was also the personification of forgetfulness.
- Lycanthrope
Definition:
Noun
1: a monster able to change appearance from human to wolf and back againLycaon, the King of Arcadia, wanted to test whether Zeus was omniscient or not, so served him the roasted flesh of a human child (in some versions his son). To punish him, Zeus turned him into a wolf.
See you next week for ten more English words from Greek mythology!
06 Apr 2015
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Full list of words from this list:
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panic
an overwhelming feeling of fear and anxiety
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flora
all the plant life in a particular region or period
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martial
suggesting war or military life
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jovial
full of or showing high-spirited merriment
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mentor
a wise and trusted guide and advisor
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cereal
grass whose starchy grains are used as food: wheat
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fauna
all the animal life in a particular region or period
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titanic
of great force or power
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tantalize
harass with persistent teasing or baiting
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erotic
giving sexual pleasure; sexually arousing
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Cassandra
(Greek mythology) a prophetess in Troy during the Trojan War whose predictions were true but were never believed
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nectar
a sweet liquid secretion that is attractive to pollinators
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cupidity
extreme greed for material wealth
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chimera
a grotesque product of the imagination
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iridescent
varying in color when seen in different lights
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morphine
an alkaloid narcotic drug extracted from opium
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ambrosia
the food and drink of the gods
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Gorgon
(Greek mythology) any of three winged sister monsters and the mortal Medusa who had live snakes for hair; a glance at Medusa turned the beholder to stone
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hermetic
completely sealed or airtight
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mercurial
liable to sudden unpredictable change
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stentorian
very loud or booming
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dryad
a deity or nymph of the woods
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saturnine
bitter or scornful
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Adonis
a handsome youth loved by both Aphrodite and Persephone
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zephyr
a slight wind
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palladium
a silver-white metallic element of the platinum group that resembles platinum; occurs in some copper and nickel ores; does not tarnish at ordinary temperatures and is used (alloyed with gold) in jewelry
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naiad
a nymph of lakes and springs and rivers and fountains
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narcissism
an exceptional interest in and admiration for yourself
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hector
talk to or treat someone in a bossy or bullying way
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aegis
armor plate that protects the chest
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cornucopia
a horn filled with fruit and grain symbolizing prosperity
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bacchanalian
used of riotously drunken merrymaking
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cyclopean
of or relating to or resembling the Cyclops
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odyssey
a long wandering and eventful journey
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harpy
a kind of fruit bat
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nemesis
a personal foe or rival that cannot be easily defeated
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phoenix
a legendary bird that burned to death and emerged reborn
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aphrodisiac
a drug or other agent that stimulates sexual desire
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hymeneal
of or relating to a wedding or marriage
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hamadryad
the nymph or spirit of a particular tree
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Plutonian
of or relating to or characteristic of Hades or Tartarus
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terpsichorean
of or relating to dancing
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argus-eyed
carefully observant or attentive
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Procrustean
enforcing conformity by violent or ruthless means
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Sisyphean
both extremely effortful and futile
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Janus-faced
marked by deliberate deceptiveness especially by pretending one set of feelings and acting under the influence of another
Created on February 13, 2013
Some words have a distinct pedigree. These words hail from Mt. Olympus itself. Godly in origin, use them to spice up your conversation or writing.
1 Antaean
Antaeus was a gigantic and powerful wrestler, son of Gaea, goddess of the Earth, and Poseidon, the sea god. Whenever Antaeus touched his mother, his strength renewed. He always kicked butt when people threw him to the ground. Heracles, always a crafty fellow, bested him by lifting Antaeus off the ground. Then Heracles crushed the god to death.
In English, this word means mammoth, for Antaeus’ size, and superhuman strength.
2 Caduceus
The Greek god Hermes served as a herald and messenger for the other gods. He carried a winged staff with two snakes twisting around it. There is also another staff, that of Aesculapius, the god of healing. This had only one snake and no wings attached.
The Latin translation for herald is karyx, modified into karykeion. Is should only refer to the winged staff with two snakes, but in practice is also refers to the one snake healing staff as well. The staff of Aesculapius as well as the staff of Hermes are used as medical symbols.
3 Chimera (pronounced Kymera)
This was a fearsome beast with a lion’s head, goat’s body, and dragon’s tail. It breathed fire and terrified the people of Lydia. Finally, their king, Iobates, called in the hero Bellerophon. He didn’t actually want Bellerophon to win. The king’s son-in-law wanted the hero killed and the king thought the chimera would be the trick. Trouble was, Bellerophon summoned reinforcements: the winged horse Pegasus (not at all related to Perseus). Bellerophon then took down the creature from above.
Chimera lives on in Enlglish as an illusion or fabrication of the mind. It’s also an impossible dream.
4 Cornucopia
Zeus wasn’t always master of all the gods. In fact, he once was a baby too. As an infant, he was suckled from the horn of a goat. Later, this horn was filled with flowers and fruits and given as a present to Zeus. This filled horn then served as a symbol for abundance.
Besides as serving as a climactic battle scene in the Hunger Games, the word now means an inexhaustible store of something or simply abundance. That’s why it so often appears during Thanksgiving.
5 Halcyon
Alkyone, the daughter of the god of the winds (Aeolus), learned that her husband had been killed in a shipwreck. Her grief was unbearable, so she threw herself into the sea and was changed into a kingfisher. The Greeks call these birds alkyon or halkyon. Legend also has it that kingfishers build floating nests on the sea. Because of their heritage, the wind god clams the sea until the eggs have hatched.
The legend prompted people to associate calm and peaceful with the word halcyon. (Actual kingfishers make nests in tunnels dug into the ground).
6 Nemesis
Nemesis was the goddess of vengeance. She doled out rewards for noble deeds and cruel punishments for evil acts. She didn’t punish offenders instantly. Rather she might wait generations, inflicting her wrath on a descendant to avenge the crime.
In English, the word originally referred to someone who doled out just retribution, much like the goddess herself. Modern usage has transformed the word into someone (or something) that frustrated another person’s efforts (much like a curse or an adversary).
7 Paean
The Apollo sometimes disguised himself as Paean, the physician of the gods. Later, musical hymns were sung at to praise Apollo. These were called paeans. They evolved into songs sung at events ranging from funerals to drinking festivals, as well as traditional marching songs for armies.
Now a paean is any song mean to celebrate joy, praise, or thanksgiving. It can also mean a tribute.
8 Promethean
Probably one of the most recognizable Greek myths is that of Prometheus. One of the Titan giants, he modeled humans from clay and taught them agriculture and how to live together. His final gift was fire that he stole from the gods so that humans could cook and have warmth and light. Zeus, however, wanted the humans to perish, so he punished Prometheus by tying him to a rock. An eagle tore at the giant’s liver every day for eternity.
The modern word bears out its heritage. Promethean means daringly original and creative (in the way that Prometheus helped create civilization). The word can also mean defiant of authority or limits (because Prometheus stole from the gods). Finally, Promethean signifies suffering on a grand scale (to represent the torture inflicted on Prometheus by Zeus).
9 Rhadamanthine
Three judges hold court in the the underworld: Minos, Aeacus, and Rhadamanthus. Minos was the son of Zeus and Europa. He had been the kind of Crete before dying and becoming supreme judge of the underworld. Aeacus, another son of Zeus (he got around) was king of Aegina before shuffling off the mortal coil and doning judges robes. Rhadamanthus was brother to Minos and king of the Cyclades Islands. He was known for being especially inflexible when handing down his judgements.
The word in English means rigorously strict or just.
10 Thanatology
Thanatos was the personification of death. His twin brother, Hypnos, was the personification of sleep (the root for hypnosis). The ancient Greeks began to use thanatos as a generic word for death.
Thanatology is the study of a description of death. It’s also the psychological methods for coping with death. In 1935, Thanatos came back to describe people with an unconscious tendency toward self-destruction.
Tim Kane
English is a fascinating language, particularly in that most of our words come from other languages. While most words come from some sort of root words that have travelled from ancient languages to more modern lexicons, some come from myths and stories of gods and goddesses, particularly from stories from ancient Greece. Here are a few fascinating English words with roots dating back to stories of Zeus and his fellow gods.
Atlas
If you’re familiar with Greek myths, then you’ll immediately recognize the name of the Titan who was forced to hold up the heavens after angering the Olympians. Even if you didn’t recognize his name from myth though, you certainly recognized the modern use of the term for a group of maps. The connection is logical, but it wasn’t used in the cartography until the sixteenth century. Image Via Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez [Wikipedia]
Chronological and Chronic
These words may not seem to have much in common definition-wise, but there is a good reason they start with the same root –they are both related to time. Chronology deals with the way events happened over the course of time and chronic describes something that takes place over a long period of time. Wondering where we got these words? Well, they are all related to Chronos, the god of time. Image Via Jorbasa [Flickr]
Echo
This is one of the more famous Greek stories-turned-words. In the ancient tales, Echo was a mountain nymph who talks excessively with her gorgeous voice. Her voice was so lovely that she would often distract Zeus’ wife Hera with her long and entertaining stories while Zeus would sneak away and make love with the other mountain nymphs. When Hera found out about Echo’s role in her husband’s activities, she punished her by taking away her ability to speak, except in repetition of the words of others. There are many differing ends to the story, but in all of them, Echo eventually dies in some heartbreaking manner, leaving her voice to haunt the earth, where it can still be heard to this day.
Erotic
This word comes from the Greek character Eros, but you probably know him as his more famous Roman name –Cupid. Eros was the god not only of love, but of sexual desire. As a result, his interventions often cause gods and men to fall in love, often when already married. Image Via Eric Pouhier [Wikipedia]
Hypnosis
Ever been in a highly-suggestible sleep-like state? Well, you can thank Hypnos for your condition as he was the god of sleep who lived in a dark cave where the sun never penetrates. His home had no doors or gates lest he be awakened by creaking of hinges. Other words have been derived from his Roman name, Somnus, most notably, insomnia. Image Via McMillan and Gage [Flickr]
Morphine
The famous drug that puts you in a dream-like state actually got its name from Hypnos’ brother, Morpheus (you know, like the guy in the Matrix). Morpheus was the god of dreams and actually had the ability to take human form and appear in people’s dreams.
Narcissism
This might just be the most famous of all the myths on this list. Narcissus was a gorgeous man, half-nymph and half-god, who was so proud of his own looks that he disdained all who dared love him. Eventually, Nemesis (our next word on the list) punished him by luring Narcissus to a pool of water where he could see his own reflection. At this point, there are two endings to the tale, neither of them particularly good. In one version, Narcissus realizes he could never find anyone as attractive as himself, so he finally gives up and kills himself. In the other, Narcissus doesn’t realize it is an image and falls in love with the reflection, refusing to leave its side until he eventually succumbs to hunger.
Nemesis
These days, a nemesis is a rival or enemy, but if Nemesis was against you in ancient Greece, you must have done something bad to anger her. That’s because Nemesis was the god who took revenge against those who showed arrogance before the gods. Long ago, the term was used to simply mean someone who distributed fortune as it was deserved, good or bad. It wasn’t until the 4th century that the word started to mean someone who felt resentment towards another.
Tantalizing
Next time you’re tantalized by something you can’t have, just think of poor Tantalus and how miserable he must have been. Of course, he kind of brought his punishment upon himself. Tantalus was a half-god and half-nymph who was invited to dine at Zeus’ table in Olympus. He then stole ambrosia and nectar along with other secrets of the gods and brought them to the mortals. Later on, he offered his own son as a sacrifice to the gods and served him at a banquet. The gods learned of his plan and rebuilt the boy and brought him back to life, disgusted by Tantalus’ plan. As punishment for his misdeeds, Tantalus was forced to stand in a pool of water below a fruit tree with low-hanging branches. Whenever he would reach down to take a drink, the waters would recede and whenever he reached up to pluck some fruit, the branches would rise up out of his reach. Thus Tantalus spent the rest of eternity being tantalized by water and food that he could never have. These are, of course, only a handful of the hundreds and hundreds of Greek myths, many of which have played a fascinating role in modern English words –and I didn’t even include any of the Roman versions that have entered our lexicon. Do you guys know of any other Greek or Roman tales that have inspired common English words? Sources: Your Dictionary, Grose Educational Media, Wikipedia #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9
We Use Phrases from Greek Mythology in the English Language and We Often Do Not Realize it
We use the following phrases, «Achilles Heel,» «Between a rock and a hard place,» «To have a Midas touch,» «To rise from the ashes,» «He’s a mentor to me,» quite commonly in written and in spoken language. But, where do these phrases come from? Did you know that they have a common origin in mythology? Read and find out about ten phrases we use today that owe their origins to the Greeks:
10 Popular Words and Phrases in English that Originate from Greek Myths
1. Achilles’s Heel
Achilles, an ancient warrior, a child of Zeus and protected by the waters of the river Styx, fell to his death by an arrow struck at his heel, his only weak spot.
The phrase has come to mean any weak spot of an organization, a person, etc., who is generally deemed to be strong.
Marvin’s brother was the only one who knew that his Achilles’s heel was his weakness for gambling the $100 slots at the casino.
Here is an example from an article on cooking apps for the iPad for the New York Times:
“BigOven’s community involvement may be its biggest asset, but it is also its Achilles’ heel.”
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| Cassandra warns Priam |
2. To Be A Cassandra
Cassandra was a priestess to Athena in ancient Troy. She warned King Priam that the Trojans should not take in the large wooden horse standing at their door (see, «Beware of Greeks bearing gifts») but no one would listen to her.
«To be a cassandra,» in present day language has come to mean someone who proclaims truth, or spreads a message, but no one wants to believe it despite its authenticity.
Another example of environmental Cassandras is a small coastal town that did not listen to the reports from a scientific recommendation to begin creating a buffer zone of trees to protect its estuary from the encroaching ocean waters.
3. Caught Between a Rock and Hard Place
Odysseus learns from the blind seer Tiresias that he must journey through a strait where the path breaks into two; no matter what path he and his crew choose, Tiresias forebodes, the outcome will be equally perilous. For on one side is the Scylla monster who gobbles up his men like chickens and on the other side is a gaping whirlpool with teeth called the Charybdis, which swallows his men alive. The Charybdis’ cousin is the sand whirlpool in Return of the Jedi.
We say we are caught between a Scylla and a Charybdis, or between a rock and a hard place, when whichever decision is made, the outcome is hardly good.
A news article from The New Hampshire Keene Sentinel refers to refereeing teen bullying online, as caught between a rock and hard place because the school must choose between peer mediation, which seldom works because the bullying is not happening in school but at home online:
«We’re caught between a rock and hard place, disciplining them for what happens outside the school…”
It was easy to see Simone was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she chose Zack, tall and handsome, she would not have someone to discuss poetry, but if she chose Zed, a recent Rhodes Scholar, she would have to settle for a tepid body.
Et cetera:
It is also possible to use the phrase «Scylla and Charybdis» to mean caught between a rock and hard place, as in a San Fransisco Chronicle on global warming and stopping green house gases as a Scylla and a Charybdis.
4. Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts
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| How is Health Care in this cartoon used as an example of «Beware …» |
The phrase originates from Virgil’s Aeneid. Laocoon tells the Trojans, «Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts» but they do not listen to him and allow the Trojan Horse to enter the city (see entries on Trojan Horse, Cassandra). After the Greeks sack Troy, as punishment for attempting to warn the Trojans, Laocoon and his sons are eaten alive by a sea serpent.
The phrase is heavily used in political language to describe situations where a particular political action is not as benign as it may at first appear. The expression can be used, however, in any situation where appearances are not always what they seem.
«I say beware of Greeks bearing gifts,» said Troy. «Your parents pay for dinner only when they have bad news!»
Consider a recent article, «Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts,» from the Heritage Blog about Hilary Clinton. In the article, the expression is used to warn policy makers about a seemingly benign Central and Eastern European endorsement of the United States in regards to foreign policy.
5. Herculean Strength
Hercules is a hero from the Greek panoply, famous for his seven labors. Hercule gave Atlas respite by taking a turn to carry the world atop his shoulders.
To say someone has “herculean strength” means they have strength that far exceeds that of a normal person. (E.g., sometimes seen as “herculean effort”)
Ned’s ability to juggle three jobs, raise two twin boys alone, while at the same time serving as the Neighborhood Watch chairperson was considered by many in the community as a herculean effort.
Here is an example from an article about Facebook from Mashable, the social media online guide:
… [the] Social web has become increasingly complex — relating the full implications to a broad audience is a Herculean feat.
6. Mentor
Mentor is the form the ancient Greek goddess Athena takes to counsel the young Telemachus, son of Odysseus. Athena becomes a friendly, man who encourages Telemachus to go find news of his missing father who has been lost at sea after the sack of Troy.
The word mentor has come to mean a professional relationship where a more experienced person gives the necessary skills to a novice. Or it can mean simply an older person who guides a younger one.
In college I had a writing mentor who helped me to write a thesis statement.
The Associated Press uses the word to describe the relationship between the president and his former Harvard professor:
The Rev. Al Sharpton is a «lightning rod» for President Barack Obama on inner city streets, Obama’s former Harvard mentor and friend said Saturday at a forum in Harlem.
7. To Have the Midas touch
In legend, King Midas turned everything he touched to gold. In the legend Midas’ wish is granted: his food turns to gold, even his own daughter. Horrified by his new found skill, he rushes to the river to wash his hands of his gift/curse, which is why gold is to be found in river beds! The original legend was meant to illustrate the folly of the rich man and teach a lesson to rich fools.
But, if someone has the Midas touch today, it means they are skilled at becoming rich, or, just seem to be really lucky. A synonym for the Midas touch could be a “lucrative entrepreneur”. The phrase can also mean someone or something which brings luck or success.
It seemed that Mike had the Midas touch: he had a stunning wife, three handsome children, and a 401k that paid steady dividends. The block was green with envy.
A headline reads “Britain’s Got Talent Betting: Simon Cowell’s Midas Touch.” Betters hope Cowell’s success on American Idol will bleed over to the British counterpart.
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8. To Open a Pandora’s Box
Poor Pandora lives with her family in a state of preternatural bliss but she opens the box she is explicitly told not to touch (similar to Eve eating of the fruit in the garden in Genesis). When she opens the box, corruption enters the world: death, decay, entropy, murder, war — but Pandora closes the box before everything that is horrible escapes and the one thing that is not stolen by is Hope.
Little did the popular girls at Ridgemont High know, uncovering secrets about the new kid in school was to open a pandora’s box that neither of them had been able to anticipate.
We use the expression “Pandora’s box” to express an action, an event, an object, or a person that has been unleashed from its shackles and gotten out of hand.
The Huffington post ran an article about the crude oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as opening a Pandora’s box.
9. Trojan Horse
In the Aeneid, Virgil recounts how the Greeks were finally able to conquer the Trojans after ten years of brutal fighting. Odysseus, the wily entrepreneur, devises a hollow wooden horse to place Greek soldiers inside of and place it as a “gift” at the walls of Troy. The Trojans. thinking it is a peace offering, take the horse in their gates, celebrate their victory and go to sleep. The Greeks come out of the horse, murder the men and boys and make slaves of the women and children.
To call something a Trojan horse The phrase has been used to describe computer viruses that enter “the back door” of a closed system, veiled as a normal-looking file, but are actually malware hackers use to gain information, delete files, and basically wreak havoc on civilized humankind.
Equipped with walkie talkies, Blake and his buddies decided to inject Lane into the birthday party as their trojan horse to signal to them when it was time to launch the water balloons en masse.
Federal News Radio reports on malware hackers have lured computer users to download onto their PCs from their iPads:
The link in the message leads to a Trojan horse that injects code into Windows’ explorer.exe and opens a backdoor for hackers.
10. To Rise From the Ashes
As this detail from the Aberdeen Bestiary illustrates, the Phoenix is a mythic bird who every one thousand years immolates itself and is then born again from its own ashes. In everyday speech, we use this phrase to indicate a major life change or total makeover in a person’s life. One could say Bill Clinton rose from the ashes to become a post-presidential celebrity despite the scandal of Whitewater and Monicagate.
Tip: Don’t try this at home, kids.
After thirty years in the working world, Hannah decided to rise from the ashes and return to school to get a nursing degree.
A post on the Consumerist claims that the once defunct electronics chain will rise from the ashes:
Circuit City to Rise from the Ashes!
And another article from a life coach promises readers to learn how to change their lives and start anew:
Et cetera: How To Rise From The Ashes Like A Phoenix
Go to my Teacher’s store to buy a ready-to-go educational resource on words and phrases from Greek Mythology.
Note: I will add to this post as I begin to compile more examples.
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| Find a supercharged lesson plan on allusions to Greek myths here |