Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
| Word |
Meaning |
Origin
|
| atlas |
a book of maps |
Atlas, Titan
|
| cereal |
wheat, oats, corn |
Ceres, goddess of agriculture
|
| cloth |
fabric formed by weaving |
Clotho, the Fate that spun the thread of life
|
| chronology |
list of events in time |
Chronos, personification of time
|
| cornucopia |
horn of plenty |
Cornucopia
|
| echo |
repetition of a sound |
Echo, who could only repeat other’s words
|
| hypnosis |
sleeplike state |
Hypnos, personification of sleep
|
| jovial |
good cheer |
Jove — alternate name of Jupiter
|
| Midas touch |
ability to make money |
Midas, mythological king
|
| mnemonics |
system to improve memory |
Mnemosyne, personification of memory
|
| music |
arrangement of sounds of harmony |
the Muses, goddesses of literature, science, and the arts
|
| narcissism |
excessive love of oneself |
Narcissus, proud and attractive demigod
|
| panic |
sudden terror |
Pan
|
| plutocracy |
government run by the wealthy |
Plutus, god of wealth
|
| psychology |
science of mental behavior |
Psyche, personification of "soul" or "breath of life"
|
| stentorian |
extremely loud |
Stentor, the herald
|
| tantalize |
keeping in sight but out of reach |
Tantalus
|
| terpsichorean |
relating to dancing |
Terpsichore, Muse of dance
|
| typhoon |
tropical cyclone |
Typhon, "father of all monsters"
|
| zephyr |
gentle wind |
Zephyrus, god of the west wind
|
Notes
Roman mythology
| Word |
Meaning |
Origin
|
| fortune |
chance happening or luck |
Fortuna, goddess of luck
|
| insomnia |
inability to sleep |
Somnus, personification of sleep
|
| junoesque |
stately bearing |
Juno - goddess of protector of the state
|
| martial |
relating to war |
Mars, god of war
|
| mercurial |
quick and changeable |
Mercury, messenger god
|
| somnambulism |
to act while asleep |
Somnus, personification of sleep
|
| venerate |
regard with reverence |
Venus
|
| vestal |
chaste, pure |
Vesta
|
| volcano |
opening in earth's crust that ejects lava |
Vulcan, god of fire
|
| vulcanize |
process to harden rubber |
Vulcan, god of fire
|
