Thematic Learning
8 themed wordsWords from Mythology
Unit 66 - Part 5: 8 themed words
Apollonian
/ˌæp.əˈloʊ.ni.ən/
Definition:
Harmonious, ordered, rational, calm.
Example:
After a century of Romantic emotion, some composers adopted a more Apollonian style, producing clearly patterned pieces that avoided extremes of all kinds.
Explanation:
In Greek mythology, Apollo was the god of the sun, light, prophecy, and music, and the most revered of all the gods. Partly because of the writings of Nietzsche, we now often think of Apollo (in contrast to the god Dionysus) as a model of calm reason, and we may call anything with those qualities *Apollonian.*
bacchanalian
/ˌbæk.əˈneɪ.li.ən/
Definition:
Frenzied, orgiastic.
Example:
The bacchanalian partying on graduation night resulted in three wrecked cars, two lawsuits by unamused parents, and more new experiences than most of the participants could remember the next day.
Explanation:
The Roman god of drama, wine, and ecstasy, Bacchus was the focus of a widespread celebration, the *Bacchanalia.* The festivities were originally secret, and only initiated members could participate. There was wine in abundance, and participants were expected to cut loose from normal restraints and give in to all sorts of wild desires.
delphic
/ˈdel.fɪk/
Definition:
Unclear, ambiguous, or confusing.
Example:
All she could get from the strange old woman were a few delphic comments that left her more confused than ever about the missing documents.
Explanation:
Delphi in Greece was the site of a temple to Apollo at which there resided an oracle, a woman through whom Apollo would speak, foretelling the future. The Greeks consulted the oracle frequently on matters both private and public.
Dionysian
/ˌdaɪ.əˈnɪ.ʒən/
Definition:
Frenzied, delirious.
Example:
Only in the tropics did such festivals become truly Dionysian, he said, which was why he was booking his flight to Rio.
Explanation:
Dionysus was the Greek forerunner of Bacchus. He was the inventor of wine, which he gave to the human race. For that gift and for all the wild behavior that it led to, Dionysus became immensely popular, and he appears in a great many myths.
jovial
/ˈdʒoʊ.vi.əl/
Definition:
Jolly, good-natured.
Example:
Their grandfather was as jovial and sociable as their grandmother was quiet and withdrawn.
Explanation:
*Jove*, or Jupiter, was the Roman counterpart of the Greek's Zeus, and like Zeus was regarded as chief among the gods. When the Romans were naming the planets, they gave the name Jupiter to the one that, as they may have already known, was the largest of all
mercurial
/mərˈkjʊə.ri.əl/
Definition:
Having rapid and unpredictable changes of mood.
Example:
His mother's always mercurial temper became even more unpredictable, to the point where the slightest thing would trigger a violent fit.
Explanation:
The god Mercury, with his winged cap and sandals, was the very symbol of speed, and the planet Mercury was named for him by the Romans because it is the fastest-moving of the planets.
Olympian
/oʊˈlɪm.pi.ən/
Definition:
Lofty, superior, and detached.
Example:
Now 77, he moved slowly and spoke to the younger lawyers in Olympian tones, but his college friends could remember when he was a brash, crazy risk-taker.
Explanation:
The Greek gods lived high atop Mt. Olympus, which allowed them to watch what went on in the human realm below and intervene as they saw fit.
venereal
/vəˈnɪə.ri.əl/
Definition:
Having to do with sexual intercourse or diseases transmitted by it.
Example:
In the 19th century syphilis especially was often fatal, and venereal diseases killed some of the greatest figures of the time.
Explanation:
Venus was the Roman goddess of love, the equivalent of the Greek Aphrodite. Since she governed all aspects of love and desire, a word derived from her name was given to the diseases acquired through sexual contact. ```