286. Mythology

See also 183. GOD and GODS .

centauromachy

battle between centaurs or between centaurs and men.

cornucopia

1. Greek Mythology. a horn of plenty, from the hom of the goat Amalthaea that dispensed an endless supply of food, drink, and other riches.

2. any copious or abundant supply or source. —cornucopian , adj.

dryad

a wood nymph.

euhemerism

the belief that the mythological gods were merely legendary kings and heroes deified. —euhemerist , n. —euhemeristic , adj.

hamadryad

a dryad that is the spirit of a particular tree.

limniad, limoniad

Rare. a water nymph or naiad.

mythicism

the attribution of supernatural events to mythological causes.

mythicist

1. a student of myths.

2. an interpreter of myths.

mythoclast

an opponent of myths. — mythoclastic , adj.

mythogenesis

1. the establishment and development of myths.

2. the tendency to create myths or to give mythical status to a person or event. Also called mythogeny . —mythogenetic , adj.

mythography

1. the collecting of myths.

2. the recording of myths in writing.

3. a critical collection of myths. —mythographer, mythographist , n.

mythologem

a recurrent pattern, event, or theme in myths, as an explanation of the change of seasons; folklore motifs.

mythologer

a narrator of myths and legends.

mythology

1. a body of stories relating the traditional origins and causes of the world, natural forces and phenomena, and cultural developments, as that of a particular people or relating to a particular person.

2. a collection of myths.

3. the science of myths. —mythologist , n. —mythological , adj.

mythopoesis

the creation of myths. —mythopoeist , n. —mythopoeic , adj.

mythos, mythus

1. myth.

2. mythology.

3. the interrelationship of value structures and historical experiences of a people, usually given expression through the arts.

naiad

a nymph or spirit of rivers and streams.

Oceanid

any of the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys; a sea nymph.

theomythology

a mixture of theology and mythology. —theomythologer , n.

undine

according to Paracelsus, a water nymph or spirit, female in form and lacking a soul until married to a mortal and mother of his child.

vampirism

1. the state or condition of being a vampire.

2. the actions or habits of vampires.

3. belief in the existence of vampires. —vampiric , adj.