Best Greek Mythology Vocab Set

auroral

a phenomenon of arches of lights in the atmosphere

bacchanalia

a Roman festival of Bacchus celebrated with dancing, song, and revelry

chimerical (myth)

existing only as the product of unchecked imagination

Adonis

a very handsome young man

Aegis

protection or sponsorship

Amazon (person)

a tall, strong, often masculine woman

Amazon (animal)

a kind of parrot

ambrosial

something extremely pleasing to taste or smell

ambrosia (food)

an orange and coconut dessert

Atlas (figure)

one who bears a heavy burden

atlas (geography)

a bound collection of maps

atlas (anatomy)

a neck bone

bacchanalian (behavior)

drunken partying

bacchanalian (verb)

doing something pleasing without thinking about the consequences

Cassandra

one that predicts misfortune or disaster

chimerical (schemes)

given to fantastic schemes

chimerica

composed of DNA from two or more organisms

Draconian

cruel; severe

echolalia

the repetition of words, often caused by a disease

Elysian

blissful or delightful in a way that seems otherworldly

eristic

characterized by disputatious and often subtle and specious reasoning (may be an adjective or the person/practice) (Using tricky or misleading arguments, often by arguing over small details.)

fauna

animal life

flora (life)

plant, bacterial, or fungal life

flora (record)

a list of the plants of an area or period

forum (meeting)

a public meeting place or medium for open discussion

forum (judicial)

a judicial body or assembly

forum (discussion)

a program or public lecture involving the discussion of a problem

hector

to be a bully or behave like one

herculean

of extraordinary power, extent, intensity, or difficulty

hermetic (airtight)

complete and airtight or solitary; without outside influence

hermetic (esoteric)

relating to subjects that are mysterious and difficult to understand

iridescent

a lustrous or attractive quality or effect, usually a rainbow refraction of light

jovial

characterized by good-humored cheerfulness and conviviality

labyrinthine (complex)

intricate or involved

labyrinthine (ear)

of, relating to, affecting, or originating in the internal ear

laconic

using or involving the use of a minimum of words

lethargic (sluggish)

of, relating to, or characterized by laziness or lack of energy

lethargic (apathetic)

indifferent

Lucullan

lavish or luxurious

marathon (race)

a long-distance race

marathon (effort)

something characterized by great length or concentrated effort

martial

of, relating to, or suited for war, army or a warrior

mentor (role)

to either serve as or be a trusted counselor or guide

mercurial (planet/element)

of or relating to either the first planet in the solar system or the chemical Hg

mercurial (mood)

characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood

myrmidon

a loyal follower

narcissistic

extremely self-centered with an exaggerated sense of self-importance/physical appearance

nectar (drink)

something delicious to drink

nectar (plant)

a sweet liquid that is secreted by a plant and is the chief raw material of honey

nemesis

one that inflicts retribution or vengeance, a formidable rival, or something that causes harm

odyssey

a long, sometimes spiritual wandering or voyage usually marked by many changes of fortune

Olympian (place)

relating to the Olympics, Mount Olympus, or Olympia

Olympian (figure)

a being of lofty detachment or superior attainments (someone who seems above ordinary people, either very calm and distant, or very skilled and superior.)

paeans

a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph

palladium (protection)

something that affords effectual protection or security

palladium (chemistry)

a silver-white ductile malleable metallic element

panic (fear)

a sudden overpowering fright

panic (action)

to cause to laugh uproariously

philippic

a bitter, censorious speech or declaration

plutocratic

a government or controlling class of the wealthy

procrustean

marked by arbitrary often ruthless disregard of individual differences or special circumstances (Treating everyone the same in a harsh or unfair way, without caring about their unique situations or differences.)

protean

displaying great diversity or variety

pyrrhic (foot)

a kind of metrical foot in poetry

Pyrrhic (victory)

achieved at excessive cost that may outweigh the expected benefits

saturnine

having a cold and steady, gloomy, or cleverly mocking attitude

siren (creature)

a singing woman or anything else that sounds enticing

siren (device)

a mechanism that produces musical tones

solon

a wise and skillful lawgiver or a member of legislature

spartan (discipline)

marked by strict self-discipline or self-denial

Spartan (attitude)

undaunted by pain or anger

spartan (style)

marked by simplicity, frugality, or avoidance of luxury and comfort

stentorian

extremely loud

Stygian

extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding

tantalize

to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach

terpsichorean

of or relating to dancing

thespian

an actor or relating to the drama

titanic

having great magnitude, force, or power