CLAS 1020 Word Definitions and Origins

arctic

northern; cold//comes from Arcas, Ursa minor (Little Bear)

panic

sudden fear leading to flight//comes from Pan, son of Hermes

Daphnean

shy, bashful//comes from Daphne, a nymph who was turned into a laurel

lycanthrophy

transformation of a person into a wolf//comes from Lycaon

Promethean

boldly creative, original//comes from Prometheus, the Fire-Bearer

aegis

protection, sponsorship, patronage//comes from aigis (goatskin carried by Athena)

cupidity

greed for money or possession//comes from Cupid, god of erotic love

venerate

regard with respect and reverence//comes from Venus, the goddess of love

heliotropic

turning or growing towards the light//comes from Helios, the god of the Sun

panoply

a full suit of armor//comes from Athena's full-body armor when she was born

hygeiene

promotion of health through cleanliness//comes from Hygia, child of Aesclepius

solar

relating to the sun//comes from Sol, the god of the Sun

Janus-faced

hypocritical, traitorous, two-faced//comes from Janus, the god of gates, doorways

Argus-eyed

vigilant//comes from Argos, a watchman with 100 eyes

janitor

doorkeeper, with maintenance duties//comes from Janus, the god of gates, doorways

solarium

a sunroom//comes from Sol, the god of the Sun

Apollonian

to be wise, reasonable//comes from the god Apollo

parasol

an umbrella to shade yourself from the sun//comes from Sol, the god of the Sun

martial

pertaining to war//comes from Mars, the god of war

uranium

a chemical element with an atomic number of 92//comes from Uranus

to open Pandora's box

source of unforeseen trouble//comes from Pandora, the first woman

iridescent

luminous colors that change at different angles//comes from Iris, goddess of the rainbow

nymph

a mythological spirit of nature//comes from Nymphs

aphrodisiac

a food, drink, or drug, that stimulates sexual desire//come from Aphrodite (gift of the foam)

cyclopean

a type of masonry made with massive irregular blocks//comes from Cyclops (round-eyed)

Georgia

a state in the US//comes from Gaia, Mother Earth

chaos

empty void, chasm//comes from Chaos

Austrailia

the southern continent//comes from Auster, the South wind

Saturday

the 7th day of the week//comes from the titan Saturn

plutonium

a radioactive chemical element//comes from Pluto, god of the Underworld

saturnine

gloomy, dull, melancholy, sullen (astrology)//comes from the planet Saturn

Junoesque

regal, majestic, queenly, stately, tall//comes from Juno, the queen of the gods

June

6th month//comes from Juno, queen of the gods

Delphic

oracular, obscurely prophetic, enigmatic//comes from Delphi, a place of prophecy (Apollo)

titanic

of exceptional strength or power//comes from the 12 Titans

geometry

a branch of math//comes from Gaia, Mother Earth

geology

science of the Earth's physical structures//comes from Gaia, Mother Earth

geography

study of the land//comes from Gaia, Mother Earth

titan

thing of great strength//comes from the 12 Titans

paean

a song of praise or triumph//comes from Hymn to Apollo

erotic

sexual arousal or excitement//comes from Eros, the god of erotic love

Athenaeum

any scholarly institution or literary club//come from Athena, the goddess of wisdom

cosmos

order, beauty//comes from Cosmos

calliope

a keyboard instrument that looks like an organ//comes from Calliope, one of the 9 Muses

a triton among minnows

one who appears great compared to others//comes from Triton, the son of Poseidon

volcano

a mountain with a crater through which lava comes from//comes from Vulcan, the god of the forge

zephyr

a soft breeze//comes form Zephyros, the god of the west wind

jovial

happy, cheerful (astrology)//comes from the planet Jupiter

stygian

relating to the Styx River, dark, gloomy//comes from the River Styx in the Underworld

music

vocal or instrumental sounds to produce harmony//comes from the 9 Muses

museum

a building where historical artifacts are displayed//comes frim the 9 Muses

salutary

healthy//comes from Salus (Hygeia), child of Aesclepius

iris

colored muscles in the eye//comes from Iris, goddess of the rainbow

adamant

refusing to be persuaded//comes frim adamant, which made up the sickle used to castrate Ouranos

nemesis

long-standing rival, archenemy//comes from Nemesis (agent of Vengeance)

nympho-mania

excessive sexual desire by a female//comes from Nymphs

lunar

relating to the moon//comes from Luna, goddess of the Moon

January

1st month//comes from Janus, god of gates, doorways

aurora borealis

northern lights//comes from Borea, the northern wind

March

3rd month, beginning of military campaigning season//comes from Mars, the god of war

cosmetics

a product applied to the body to improve its appearance//comes from Cosmos

mnemonic

a device, such as a pattern of letter, that assists in remembering something//comes frim Mnemosyne (Memory), mother of the 9 Muses

muse

something that is the source of inspiration for an artist//comes from the 9 Muses

cosmopolitan

containing people from many different countries//comes from Cosmos

salutation

greeting//comes from Salus (Hygeia), child of Aesclepius

venereal

pertaining to sex//comes frim Venus, the goddess of love

panacea

cure-all, remedy for all problems//comes from Panacea, child of Asclepius

saturnalia

wild party or celebration//comes from the titan Saturn

helium

2nd element on the periodic table; colorless, odorless gas//comes frim Helios, the god of the Sun

olympian

resembling a god//comes from Mt. Olympus, the home of the Olympian gods

to climb Mt. Parnassus

to undertake a career in the arts

heliocentric

having the sun as the center//comes from Helios, the god of the Sun

lunatic

insane//comes from Luna, the goddess of the Moon

mercurial

fickle, changeful, unsteady (astrology)//comes from Mercury, the 1st planet

cereal

food made from grain//comes from Ceres, the goddess of grain and agriculture

May

5th month//comes from Maia, mother of Hermes

thespian

actor//comes from Thespis, the first actor

atlas

a book of maps or charts//comes from Atlas, a Titan who supported the heavens

typhoon

a tropical storm//comes from Typhoeus, youngest son of Earth

Dionysian

irrational, frenzied, undisciplined//comes from Dionysus, the god of wine

phobia

fear of something//comes from Phobos, son of Ares (Mars)

python

large snake//comes from pytho (rot)