MYTHOLOGY WORD

ORIGINS
AMBROSIA

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Anything

delicious or fragrant

Mythological Origin: It was the food of the

gods and it made them immortal.
CHAOTIC

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) A state of

disorder and confusion

Mythological Origin: According the Greek

creation myth, Chaos was the first being
and was a disorganized mass of seeds and
the beginnings of all things.
TITANIC

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Very large or

strong, powerful.

Mythological Origin: Titans were fabled

giants of ancient mythology who were
enormous in size and strength.
CHRONOLOGICAL

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Arranged in

the order of time.
Mythological Origin: Chronos was one of
the Titans and the son of Uranus and
Gaea. He was Time, and said to be the
most terrible of all the Titans.
SATURNINE

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Looking sad,

serious, especially in a threatening way.

Mythological Origin: Saturn is the Greek

name for Chronos. In terms of Astrology,
the planet Saturn intensifies feelings of
sadness, isolation, and depression, just like
Saturn/Chronos felt when he became an
eternal prisoner of Tartarus.
 PLUTONIUM
Present Day Meaning: (n.) A metal that is
used in the production of nuclear power and it
is invisible to the naked eye.
Mythological Origin: Pluto, God of the
Underworld was given a helmet of invisibility by
the three Cyclops when he and his brothers all
waged war on Cronos. Just as Pluto wore a
helmet of invisibility, so Plutonium is an
element none of us are ever likely to see.
 MERCURIAL
Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Changing moods
suddenly. Mercury is the metal used in a thermometer
that moves up and down in order to measure
temperature.

Mythological Meaning: Mercury is the messenger

God and he is the only one who can travel up to
Mount Olympus, where the Gods live, and down to the
Underworld. As the escort of souls down to Tartarus,
he has always been associated with movement and
travel. Mercury is after all, mercurial and speed is his
great skill as he is the messenger of the gods.
JOVIAL:

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) To be

friendly or cheerful.

Mythological Meaning: Jove is another

name for Zeus, King of the Gods and ruler
of mankind. He was well known for his
friendly attitude toward most females.
VOLCANO

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A naturally

occurring opening in the surface of the
Earth through which molten, gaseous, and
solid material is ejected.

Mythological Origin: Vulcan (Hephaestus)

was the god of fire; blacksmith for the
gods. His forge was located in a volcano.
CEREAL

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Crop plant

with edible grain; breakfast food.

Mythological Origin: The term was derived

from Ceres, the goddess of agriculture.
MARTIAL

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Warlike and

fierce

Mythological Origin: It pertained to Mars,

the Roman god of war.
APHRODISIAC

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Something

that arouses or intensifies sexual drive.

Mythological Origin: Related to Aphrodite,

the goddess of love and beauty.
ARACHNID

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Eight-legged

organism. A spider.

Mythological Origin: She was a Greek

maiden who was turned into a spider after
she boastfully won Athena in a weaving
contest.
METAMORPHOSIS

Present Day Meaning: (n.) The process in

which something changes completely into
something very different.

Mythological Origin: Taken from the god of

dreams, Morpheus. An example of
metamorphosis is in the myth Arachne; she
changes from her human form, into something
totally different; a spider.
NARCISSISTIC
Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Someone
who admires his/her own physical
appearance or ability can be described as
narcissistic.

Mythological Origin: Narcissus is a

beautiful young man who rejected all
admirers, including the nymph Echo. As a
punishment for his vanity, he falls in love
with his own reflection.
LABYRINTH

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A structure

of connecting passages through which it is
difficult to find ones way; a maze.

Mythological Origin: It was used to

describe a maze that was designed by
Daedalus for King Minos of Crete to
confine Minotaur.
TANTALIZE
Present Day Meaning: (verb) To tease by
presenting something desirable to view, but
keeping it continually out of reach.

Mythological Origin: Tantalus, a Phrygian King,

was condemned to remain in Tartarus, standing,
thirsty, hungry, and chin-deep in water with
fruit-laden branches hanging above his head. As
he tried to drink, the water level retreated.
When he attempted to eat the fruit, it would slip
away from his hands.
LETHAL

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Causing

death or disorder

Mythological Origin: Lethe is the river of

forgetfulness on the way to Hades. Letum
was a monster, who lived in the
underworld. His name meant death.
SISYPHEAN

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Involving

endless, but pointless labor.

Mythological Origin: Sisyphus was a cruel

king of Corinth condemned forever to roll
a huge stone up a hill in Hades. Once the
stone reached the top, it would fall back
down.
 FATE(S)
Present Day Meaning: (n.) A power that is
believed to control what happens in peoples lives.

Mythological Origin: The Fates Are three ancient

goddesses, daughters of Zeus, who were in charge
of deciding the length of each mortals life. One
Fate is in charge of starting the thread of life;
BIRTH; another is in charge of weaving the
thread of life; WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU IN YOUR
LIFE; and the third is in charge of cutting the
thread of life; DEATH.
The Midas Touch

Present Day Meaning: The ability to make,

manage, and keep large amounts of
money.

Mythological Origin: Midas, King of

Phrygia, a greedy man who Dionysus gave
the power of turning everything he
touched into gold.
PSYCHOLOGY

Present Day Meaning: (n) The study of

the mind and how it works.

Mythological origin: Psyche was

considered a perfect woman, in mind,
body and spirit. Therefore, her mind was
used as the standard for all others to be
judged.
ATLAS

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A book or

collection of maps

Mythological Origin: He was a Titan who

fought against Zeus, and his punishment
was that he supported the world on his
shoulders. In some myths it is the sky.
AMAZONIAN

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A physically

or mentally strong; aggressive woman.

Mythological Origin: A group of women

warriors who lived in Scythia or in the
northern limits of the world.
HERCULEAN

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Something that

requires great strength or that is enormous in
size or courage.

Mythological Origin: Hercules was a famous

hero, known for his courage and strength. He
performs 12 labors; very difficult tasks; as a
punishment for murdering his wife and children
ACHILLES HEEL
Present Day Meaning: (noun) The
vulnerable or weak spot of a mans
character or a of a nation.
Mythological Origin: It is from the tale of
when Thetis took her son, Achilles, by the
heel and dipped him in the Styx River, so
that he would be invincible. The water
washed every part of his body, excluding
his heel, which had been covered by his
mothers hands. It was on this vulnerable
point that caused the hero to be slain.
Beware of Greeks Bearing Gifts

Present Day Meaning: Be careful of

accepting a gift from a potential enemy
because it may bring misfortune.

Mythological Origin: The Trojan Horse, a

wooden horse, was a gift from Athena
which contained armed men who attacked
the city Troy.
The Face that Launched a
Thousand Ships
Present Day Meaning: Any one person
causing disaster or war.

Mythological Origin: Helen of Troy was one

of the most beautiful Greek women. She
fled with Prince Paris, which launched the
Trojan War.
MUSE

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A source of

inspiration; a guiding spirit

Mythological Origin: Muse was one of the

nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne,
goddess of memory. The Muses inspired
different creative artists.
ODYSSEY

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A long,

adventurous voyage.

Mythological Origin: A Greek epic poem

that explains the adventures of Ulysses in
his voyage after the fall of Troy.
MENTOR

Present Day Meaning: (n.) An

experienced person who advises,
encourages, and helps a less experienced
person.
Mythological Meaning: Mentor is an elder
whom Odysseus asks to watch over the
education and the raising of his son,
Telemachus.
Between Scylla & Charybidis

Present Day Meaning: In a position where

avoidance of one danger exposes one to another
danger.

Mythological Origin: Scylla was a six-headed

monster who lived on a rock on one side of a
narrow strait. Charybdis was a whirlpool on the
other side. Whenever ships passed close to
Scyllas rock so that they would avoid Charybdis,
she would seize and devour their sailors.
A Lotus Eater

Present Day Meaning: Anyone who

surrenders to indolent pleasure

Mythological Origin: Odysseus was driven

to North Africa, the land of the Lotus
Eaters. They consumed the fruit of the
lotus and lived in constant state of dreamy
forgetfulness and happy irresponsibility.
ADONIS

Present Day Meaning: (noun) An extremely

handsome young man

Mythological Origin: A handsome young man

was loved by Aphrodite and Persephone. He was
killed while hunting boar, but was allowed by
Zeus to divide his time between Aphrodite on
earth and Persephone in the Underworld.
FURIOUS

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Extremely

angry.
Mythological Origin: The Furies are three
female creatures who punish all crimes
and breaking of societys rules. First and
foremost they punish those who hunt or
kill their own family members.
HALCYON DAYS

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A time of peace,

serenity, and happiness.

Mythological Origin: Halcyon is Greek for

Kingfisher. The ancient Sicilians believed that
because the Kingfisher laid and incubated his
eggs for fourteen days on the surface of the sea,
the waves would calm before the winter solstice.
AURORA

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Early

Morning; glowing.

Mythological Origin: In Grecian mythology,

the goddess Aurora was said to have been
the pioneer of the rising sun.
NEMESIS

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A source of

harm or ruin

Mythological Origin: The goddess of

retributive justice or vengeance.
IRIDESCENT

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A rainbow-

like display of colors.

Mythological Origin: Iris was the goddess

of the rainbow and messenger of the
gods.
PHOBIA

Present Day Meaning: (noun) An irrational

or very powerful fear and dislike of
something

Mythological Origin: Phobos, son of Ares,

was the representation of fear.
 PANDEMONIUM
Present Day Meaning: (noun) A situation in which
there is a lot of noise because people are angry,
confused or frightened.

Mythological Origin: Named after the God Pan, God of

shepherds, forests, wildlife, and fertility. Like other
Gods who dwelt in forests, he was dreaded by
travelers to whom sometimes he appeared and whom
he startled with a sudden terror. His unseen presence
aroused feelings of panic in men passing through the
remote lonely places of the wild, thus creating a
feeling of pandemonium in the hunters.
PROTEAN
Present Day Meaning: (noun) Having the
ability to change your appearance or
behavior again and again.

Mythological Origin: Proteus is a subject of

Poseidon, and he lives in the sea. He can
tell the future, but you have to catch him in
order to find out what your future holds.
He had the power to change shape in order
to escape those trying to catch him.
HARPY

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A shrewish,

quarrelsome woman

Mythological Origin: This term was used to

signify a monster that was half woman
and half bird of prey. Harpies hounded
their victims.
NIKE

Present Day Meaning: (noun) Victorious

Mythological Origin: She can run and fly at

great speed. She was the goddess of
victory.
CHIMERA

Present Day Meaning: (noun) An illusory fancy, a

wild, absurd scheme, a castle in the air.

Mythological Origin: Homer described the

chimera as a monster with a goats body, a lions
head, and a dragons tail. It was born in Lycia,
and then was slain by Bellerophon.
ZEPHYR

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A mild wind

or a gentle breeze.

Mythological Origin: He was the west

wind, the son of Aeolus and Aurora, and
the lover of Flora.
NECTAR

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A delicious,

enjoyable drink from a plant

Mythological Origin: It was the drink of

the gods that sustained their beauty and
immortality.
PANIC

Present Day Meaning: (noun) A sudden

feeling of fear and anxiety

Mythological Origin: Pan, the woodland

god, and the son of Hermes.
FLORAL

Present Day Meaning: (adj.) Flowers

Mythological Origin: Flora was the Roman

goddess of Flowers