An Etymological Dictionary of Classical Mythology

March n

[ME, fr. OF, fr. L martius, Fr. martius of Mars, fr. Mart-, Mars Roman god of war] : 3rd month of the Gregorian calendar

Mars n

1 : the planet forth in order from the sun and conspicuous for its red color 2 trademark : a brand of candy bar

martial adj

[ME, fr. L martialis of Mars, fr. Mart-, Mars] 1 : of, relating, or suited for war or a warrior 2 : relating to an army or to military life 3 : experienced or inclined to war

Martian n

1 : an inhabitant of Mars adj 2 : of or relating to the hypothetical inhabitants of the planet Mars

May n

[ME, fr. L Maius, fr. Maia, Roman goddess of growth and increase] 1 : the fifth month of the Gregorian calendar 2 : the early vigorous blooming part of human life 3 : a spring-flowering spirea 4 : a girl's given name

medicine n

[ME, fr. OF, fr. L medicina, fr. medicus (sugg. that it is fr. L Medea, fr. Gk Medeia an enchantress in Greek mythology)] : the science and art dealing with the maintenance of health

Melissa n

[fr. Gk, the sister of Amalthea who nourished the infant Zeus with honey in Greek mythology] : a girl's given name

mercurial adj

[L Mercurius Mercury, Roman god of merchandise, trade, and theft] 1 : having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury 2 : characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood

¹ mercury n

1 : a bearer of messages or news or a conductor of travelers 2 [ME mercurie, fr. ML mercurius, fr. L, the god] : a heavy silver-white poisonous metallic element

² Mercury n

1 : the planet nearest the sun 2 trademark : a record production label

Metis n

[L, a Titanesse, daughter of Oceanus and Tethys and the mother of Athena by Zeus] : one of the moons of Jupiter

Midas touch n

[L, fr. Gk, legend of the Phrygian king Midas who is given the power to turn everything he touched into gold] : an uncanny ability for making money in every venture

Mimas n

[Gk, one of the Gigantes, killed by Hercules] : one of the satellites of Saturn

¹ Minoan adj

[L minous of Minos, fr. Gk minoios, fr. Minos Minos, son of Zeus and mythical king of Crete] : of or relating to a Bronze Age culture of Crete (3000 BC-1100 BC)

² Minoan n

a native or inhabitant of ancient Crete

mnemonic adj

[Gk mnemonikos, fr. mnemon mindful, fr. Gk Mnemosyne, the Greek goddess of memory and mother by Zeus of the nine Muses] : assisting memory

mome n

[poss. fr. L Momus Momus, fr. Gk Momos, the Greek god of censure and mockery] : blockhead, fool

morphine n

[F, fr. L Morpheus, fr. Gk, Greek god of dreams] : a bitter crystalline addictive narcotic used in the form of a soluble salt as an analgesic and sedative

morphinism n

a disordered condition of health produced by habitual use of morphine

morpho n

[NL, fr. Gk Morpho, epithet of Aphrodite, goddess of love] : any of a genus (Morpho of the family Morphoidae) of large showy tropical butterflies that typically have a brilliant blue metallic luster on the upper surface of the wings

muse n

[ME, fr. L Musa, fr. Gk Mousa the nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology presiding over song and poetry and the arts and sciences] 1 : a source of inspiration 2 : poet

museum n

[L Museum place for learned occupation, fr. Gk Mouseion, fr. neut. of Mouseios of the Muses, fr. Mousa] : an institution devoted to the procurement, care, study, and display of objects of lasting interest or value

music n

[ME musik, fr. OF musique, fr. L musica, fr. Gk mousike any art presided over by the Muses, esp. music, fr. fem. of mousikos of the Muses, fr. Mousa Muse] : the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having rhythm, melody, or harmony

myrmidon n

[ME Mirmydon, L Myrmidon-, Myrmido, fr. Gk Myrmidon, a member of a legendary Thessalian people who accompanied their king Achilles in the Trojan War] : a loyal follower