US Senate Page School English Final Mythology Words

Arcadian

Bucolic and ideal (usually associated with the countryside)

Cynical

Contemptuously distrustful of human nature and motives

Draconian

Extreme; severe (usually used in reference to punishment or laws)

Halcyon

Perfect; idealized (frequently appears before “days”)

Herculean

Requiring great strength or energy (often used with “task” or “effort”)

Laconic

Brief, concise, using few words

Lethal

Deadly (from the river, which souls crossed on the way to Hades and which made them forget their life on earth)

Lethargic

Lacking energy

Marathon

Very long (in time, not size)

Procrustean

Forcing conformity; allowing no deviation

Protean

Able to change shapes or forms (not necessarily literally)

Spartan

Simple and plain, without adornment

Stentorian

Very loud and commanding

Stoic

Showing no emotion (note that it does not mean lacking emotion)

Stygian

Dark and gloomy (to describe settings, not people)

Titanic

Huge

Achilles heel

Weak point; vulnerability

Aegis

Sponsorship

Chimera

An illusion; something hoped or wished for but impossible to achieve or unlikely to happen

Genetics: An organism composed of two or more genetically distinct tissues

Elysium

A state of perfect happiness or delight

Hydra

An evil that can’t be eradicated

Labyrinth

A confusing maze of passages

Nemesis

Someone/thing that causes your downfall

Odyssey

Long difficult journey

Paean

A song of praise or a speech praising something

A work that expresses enthusiastic praise

Philippic

A vicious personal attack

Pyrrhic victory

A victory won at great loss

Solecism

A grammatical mistake or embarrassing slip of the tongue

Sword of Damocles

A constant threat

Adonis

A gorgeous man whom women adore (implies a certain degree of narcissism)

Amazon

A tall, strong, athletic woman

Cassandra

Someone who foretells bad things to come but is not believed

Croesus

Very rich person

Epicurean

Having to do with exotic, expensive food and drink

Meander

To wander

Mentor

Teacher/tutor/guide/advisor

Midas Touch

Ability to make money or be successful in any circumstance

Narcissistic

Completely self-absorbed and self-centered

Ostracize

To exclude from a group

Siren

A tempting, alluring woman (has a negative connotation)

Sybaritic

Indulging in an extravagant, sensual life

Tantalize

To tease or tempt with something that is (usually) unattainable