In this unit, we will review some eponymous words
based on the names of gods and goddesses
from Greek and Roman mythology
[MUSIC]
aeolian aeolian is an adjective that relates to
something arising from the action of the wind(s);
Aeolus is the Greek god of winds
Aether or ether is the pure air above the clouds;
Aether is a Greek elemental god and his
name means 'light'
which is the glowing light of the heaven
aphrodisiac refers to any food or drink
that stimulates sexual desire;
Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and pleasure
Apollo refers to a handsome, young man;
Apollo was the Greek and Roman god of
music and poetry
Dionysian refers to something of an
uninhibited and sensual nature;
Dionysus and Apollo were the sons of Zeus.
Apollo was practical and rational, while
Dionysus was driven by emotions and irrationality.
apollonian means
 balanced and harmonius in nature
as contrasted with dionysian
Ariadne means 'most holy';
Ariadne is a Greek goddess who helped
Theseus escape the labyrinth and fight the minotaur
Aura means radiance emanated by a
person or an object;
Aura was a virgin-huntress
and the Greek goddess of breeze
and the morning wind
Bacchanalian relates to a drunken feast or orgy;
Bacchus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek god Dionysus,
whose worship is characterized by drunken revelry
and maddening frenzy
Boreas means 'north wind';
Boreas
was Greek wind god who represented winter;
cereal means a food grain;
Ceres was the Roman goddess of agriculture
Cupidity is a strong yearning
for money and material possessions;
Cupid was the Roman god of love
born to Venus and Mars.
Diana means a huntress;
In Roman mythology,
Diana was the virgin goddess of the hunt.
She was a counterpart of the Greek goddess Artemis.
Erebus indicates darkness.
Erebus was a primordial Greek god
who personified darkness.
Erotic indicates anything sexual in nature;
 Eros was the son of the Aphrodite,
and was revered as the Greek god of love
and sexual yearning.
Gaia means earth;
In Greek mythology, Gaea
was the primordial goddess of earth.
Hebe means anything in youth,
 in prime of life (for woman);
Hebe was the daughter of the Greek god Zeus.
She was the goddess of youth and spring
Hecate means a Witch
Hekate was a Greek goddess
associated with underworld,
witchcraft, and necromancy.
Hermetic means airtight and sealed;
Hermes Trimegistus was a Greek-Egyptian
god associated with magic and alchemy.
Hygiene is the regular practice of
cleanliness to prevent the spreading of diseases;
Hygieia was the Greek goddess of health
and cleanliness and the daughter of
Asklepios, the medicine god.
Hymen is a membrane that
covers the opening of vagina and was traditionally thought
to be a mark of virginity;
In Greek mythology,
Hymen was the god of marriage.
Hymeneal means relating to marriage;
In Greek mythology, Hymen was the god of marriage.
Hypnos
hypno- is a prefix meaning 'sleep',
as in hypnotism and hypnotherapy;
In Greek mythology, Hypnos was the god of sleep.
His mother was Nyx (night)
and father was Erebrus (darkness).
Iridescent means displaying
lustrous, rainbow-like colors;
The Greek goddess Iris was a messenger of gods
who used a rainbow as a bridge
between heaven and earth.
Iris are showy ornamental flowers
native to Eurasia and North America;
The Greek goddess Iris was a messenger of gods
Janus-faced is
to have two contrasting characteristics (polarities);
In Ancient Roman religion,
Janus was a two-faced god of beginnings,
gates, and doorways.
Jovial indicates a cheerful and lively disposition;
In Roman mythology,
Jupiter was the King of Gods.
Romans believed that people born under the Planet
Jupiter or Jove
displayed qualities of friendliness
 and cheerfulness.
Junoesque indicates a tall and mature figure (of a woman)
In Roman mythology, Juno was the wife of Jupiter.
Martial is an adjective
relating to war and military activities;
Mars was the Roman god of war.
Mercurial indicates
a volatile and inconsistent character;
Mercury was a Roman god who was associated with
trickery and thieves.
Mnemonic means a pattern or system
that helps a person in remembering things;
In Greek mythology, Mnemosyne was the
 goddess of memory.
Morphine is a narcotic drug obtained from
opium that relieves pain;
In Greek mythology, Morpheus was the god of dreams.
Nemesis indicates an agent
responsible for someone’s downfall;
In Greek mythology,
Nemesis was the goddess
who showed her wrath towards any human
who was arrogant towards the gods.
Nike is the most popular brand of sports goods
symbolized by the widely-known
 'swoosh' logo;
Nike was a Greek goddess who personified victory.
Ocean is a large expanse of water;
Okeanos or Oceanus
was an ancient Greek god who
personified the river Okeanos
that encircles the earth.
Odyne odynia, or -odyno
combines to mean 'pain' in the English language;
Odyne was the daughter of Nyx and was
personified as the goddess of pain.
Palladium is a safeguard or protective device
this relates to the statue of Pallas Athena
that safeguarded the city of Troy.
Panacea is a single remedy for all diseases;
In Greek mythology,
Panacea was the goddess of universal cure and remedy
Panic is an uncontrollable fear resulting in anxiety;
In Greek mythology, Pan was the god of the woodlands
who caused unreasonable fear among
people with his terrifying sounds.
Phantasos is a
figment of imagination;
Phantasos is the Greek god of dream.
Plutonian means belonging to the underworld;
Pluto was the god of the underworld in Greek mythology.
He also presided over the afterlife.
Plutocrat indicates wealthy.
In Greek mythology, Plutus was the god of wealth.
Protean means ever-changing or adaptable;
Proteus was a Greek sea god, who was able
to change his form according to his will.
Saturnine
indicates a gloomy and unfriendly temperament;
In Medieval Europe, it was believed that people
born under the influence
of planet Saturn were morose and sluggish
Somnos
'somnia' is a root word and a suffix
used in the English language to refer to sleep;
Somnos or Somnus was the Roman god of sleep.
