Language from Mythology:
Note: Some words we use today that were derived from characters, places, etc. of Greek/Roman myth. Interesting, don't you think?
WORD -
MEANING - DERIVED FROM
aphrodisiac -
arousing sexual desire - Aphrodite, goddess of love
atlas -
a book of maps - Atlas, Titan who held the sky on his shoulders
cereal
wheat, oats, corn Ceres, goddess of agriculture
cloth
fabric formed by weaving Clotho, the Fate that spun the thread of life
chronology
arrangement of events in time Cronos, god of time
cornucopia
horn of plenty Cornucopia
echo
repetition of a sound Echo, who could only repeat the last word
erotic
concerning sexual love Eros, god of love
fortune
chance happening or luck Fortuna, goddess of luck
hermaphrodite
one of both sexes Hermaphroditus
hypnosis
sleeplike state Hypnos, god of sleep
jovial
good cheer Jove - alternate name of Jupiter
junoesque
stately bearing Juno - stately, majestic goddess
martial
relating to war Mars, god of war
mercurial
quick and changeable Mercury, messenger god
Midas touch
ability to make money Midas
mnemonics
system to improve memory Mnemosyne, goddess of memory
music, musical
arrangement of sounds of harmony the Muses
narcissism
excessive love of oneself Narcissus
panic
sudden terror Pan
plutocracy
government run by the wealthy Pluto, god of wealth
psychology
science of mental behavior Psyche
somnambulism
to act while asleep Somnus, god of sleep
stentorian
extremely loud Stentor, the herald
tantalize
keeping in sight but out of reach Tantalus
terpsichorean
relating to dancing Terpsichore
typhoon
tropical cyclone Typhon
venerate
regard with reverence Venus
venereal
transmitted by sex Venus
vestal
chaste, pure Vesta
volcano
opening in earth's crust that ejects lava Vulcan
zephyr
gentle west wind Zephyrus