English 9H – Mythology Unit Vocab

Unless otherwise noted, the gods and goddesses mentioned here are from the Greek.

List 2

  1. zephyr (n.) – a light breeze blowing from the west (sometimes, just a light breeze). Zephyros (sometimes spelled Zephyrus) was the Greek god of the western wind.
  2. titanic (adj.) – having great power, magnitude, or force; colossal. The titans were a family of giants born of or descended from Uranus (Greek god of the sky) and Gaea (Mother Earth); they ruled the earth until they were overthrown by the Olympians.
  3. adonis (n.) – a very handsome young man. Adonis was a favorite man of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. He was slain by a wild boar but permitted by Zeus to spend four months of every year in the lower world with Persephone, four with Aphrodite, and four wherever he chose.
  4. delphic (adj.)- ambiguous or obscure. Delphi was the site of the oracle of Apollo.
  5. martial (adj.) – of or suited for a soldier or a war. Mars was the Roman god of war.
  6. somnambulate (v.) – to sleepwalk. Somnus was the ancient Roman god of sleep.
  7. phaeton (n.) – a touring car, usually one pulled by four horses. Phaethon was a son of Helios, the sun god who controlled the movement of the sun across the sky. Phaethon drove his father's sun-chariot through the sky but lost control and was struck down by a thunderbolt of Zeus.
  8. thanatopsis (n.) – a view or contemplation of death. Thanatoswas the Greek personification of death.
  9. venerate (v.) – to honor (as an icon) with a ritual act of devotion. (“Venerable” means honored or respected.) Veuns (the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, the goddess of love)
  10. elysian (adj.) – blissful, delightful. Elysion is the abode of the blessed after death in classical mythology.
  11. vespers (n.) - the evening star; a religious service that takes place in the late afternoon or evening. Hesperos was the Greek god of the evening.
  12. aphrodisiac (n.) – something that excites. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love.
  13. Achilles’ heel (n.) – a vulnerable point. Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior at Troy, slew Hector in the Trojan War.

English 9H – Mythology Unit Vocab

Unless otherwise noted, the gods and goddesses mentioned here are from the Greek.

List 2

  1. zephyr (n.) – a light breeze blowing from the west (sometimes, just a light breeze). Zephyros (sometimes spelled Zephyrus) was the Greek god of the western wind.
  2. titanic (adj.) – having great power, magnitude, or force; colossal. The titans were a family of giants born of or descended from Uranus (Greek god of the sky) and Gaea (Mother Earth); they ruled the earth until they were overthrown by the Olympians.
  3. adonis (n.) – a very handsome young man. Adonis was a favorite man of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. He was slain by a wild boar but permitted by Zeus to spend four months of every year in the lower world with Persephone, four with Aphrodite, and four wherever he chose.
  4. delphic (adj.)- ambiguous or obscure. Delphi was the site of the oracle of Apollo.
  5. martial (adj.) – of or suited for a soldier or a war. Mars was the Roman god of war.
  6. somnambulate (v.) – to sleepwalk. Somnus was the ancient Roman god of sleep.
  7. phaeton (n.) – a touring car, usually one pulled by four horses. Phaethon was a son of Helios, the sun god who controlled the movement of the sun across the sky. Phaethon drove his father's sun-chariot through the sky but lost control and was struck down by a thunderbolt of Zeus.
  8. thanatopsis (n.) – a view or contemplation of death. Thanatos was the Greek personification of death.
  9. venerate (v.) – to honor (as an icon) with a ritual act of devotion. (“Venerable” means honored or respected.) Veuns (the Roman equivalent of Aphrodite, the goddess of love)
  10. elysian (adj.) – blissful, delightful. Elysion is the abode of the blessed after death in classical mythology.
  11. vespers (n.) - the evening star; a religious service that takes place in the late afternoon or evening. Hesperos was the Greek god of the evening.
  12. aphrodisiac (n.) – something that excites. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love.
  13. Achilles’ heel (n.) – a vulnerable point. Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior at Troy, slew Hector in the Trojan War.