English Honors Vocab #1

titanic (adj)

Origin – Greek; Titans were lawless, powerful giants who once ruled Earth. Cronus was the leader, and he was overthrown by his son, Zeus.

Definition – of enormous strength, size, or power

Arachnid (n)

Origin - (Greek); comes from the story of Arachne who was a weaver that was turned into a spider after bragging about her weaving skills.

Definition - Spider or Spider’s Web

martial (adj)

Origin- Roman - Mars “The Roman god of war”. Ares in Greek.

Definition - Related to war, soldiers, or fighting.

odyssey (n)

Origin- Greek; epic poem written by Greek poet Homer about Odysseus's journey home from the Trojan war.

Definition- A long, wandering, and eventful journey filled with many adventures, hardships, and changes.

panic (n)

Origin- Greek: comes from the name of the ancient greek god Pan, God of the wild shepherds and music 

Definition-  a sudden overpowering feeling of fright 

jovial (adj)

Origin- Roman; of or relating to jove “Jupiter” king of Roman Gods. Zeus in Greek. 

Definition- full of high spirits, heavy good humor, and hearty joy.

lethargic (adj)

Origin- Greek; From Lethe river in Hades whose water caused forgetfulness of the past, to feel drowsy or forgetful

Definition- relating to or characterized by laziness or lack of energy

chronology (n)

Origin- Greek; it originates from the Greek God Chronus, God of time; meaning time

Definition- the arrangement of events in the order in which they happened in time, first to last.

ambrosial (adj)

Origin - Greek; Food or drink of the olympian gods thought to grant them eternal life.

Definition - Divine, heavenly, or delicious in a way that seems fit for the gods.

labyrinthine (adj)

Origin - Greek; Traces back to the Legendary Labyrinth built by Daedalus on Crete to hold the Minotaur

Definition: Complicated, confusing, or full of twist and turns