Mythology Words

Atlas

a bound collection of maps & charts

a “Midas’ touch”

An unusual ability to make money in all ways

a “Pandora’s box”

Performing a simple small act that turns out to have unexpected consequences.

Achilles’ heel 

A person’s greatest weakness 

arachnid

A land-living invertebrate with eight legs, a hard outer shell, and 2 main body segments, such as a spider.

Bacchanalia

a term for wild, rowdy, and wine-soaked celebrations.

cereal

A cultivated grass that makes starchy grains. 

chronological

An arrangement of events in order of when they occurred.

echo

The repetition or reflection of a sound.

furious

Extremely angry, or filled with intense rage

geography

The study of the earth and maps

harpy

An ill-tempered, nagging, greedy and predatory person.

Hellenic

Relating to ancient Greeks and their language, culture, thought.

helium

a very light gas that makes balloons float up to the sky. 

herculean

Tasks or jobs that require an immense amount of effort, strength, and intensity.

hermetic

sealed off from external factors or referring to occult science or alchemy

hygienic

conditions, habits, or environments that are dirty, unsanitary, and likely to cause disease or infection. 

hypnotize

To influence, control, or to direct completely by personal charm, words, or domination.

iridescent 

an adjective that describes surfaces that display luminous, rainbow-like colors that change or shirt depending on the angle of view or light.

lethal

Capable of causing death

lethargic

related to drowsiness and dullness

martia

Sin or missing the mark.

Mercurial

A temperament of sudden, rapid and unpredictable mood changes.

mnemonic

a tool or trick used to help retain and remember information faster and more effectively

morphine

A potent opioid medication derived from the opium poppy. 

museum

A place that holds, takes and conserves artifacts of social, scientific and cultural importance 

music 

the art of arranging sounds in time using elements like melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre

narcissist

a person who is overly self-involved, and often vain and selfish.

nectarine

A variation of a peach 

nemesis

an opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome.

ocean

A vast, continuous body of water that covers over 70% of earth’s surface.

odyssey

Odysseus’s journey back to Ithaca, his homeland. 

panic

A sudden,overwhelming feeling of fear or anxiety that prevents reasonable thought or action,often causing irrational behavior 

Promethean

Someone or something boldly creative,defiantly original, or involving high-stakes risk-taking,often for the advancement of humanity 

psychology

The science of the mind and behavior.

Sisyphean

a seemingly endless task

tantalize

To tease or tempt someone by keeping something desirable just out of reach. 

Titanic

Very important, large, or difficult.

Vesta

The Roman goddess of the home and the hearth.

volcano

Is a vent or “hole” in the earth that has molten rock or lava inside. 

vulcanize

hardening rubber by using sulfur and heat