Empusa

Quick meaning: Empusa is a noun meaning (Greek mythology) In Ancient Greek mythology, a kind of spectre sent by Hecate to guard roads and devour travellers.

Meaning

(Greek mythology) In Ancient Greek mythology, a kind of spectre sent by Hecate to guard roads and devour travellers.

Example Sentences

The empusae of Greek mythology demonstrate physical animal traits of the donkey and the female dog in order to emphasize certain negative characteristics associated with these animals in mythology that can also be applied to human beings.

1858, "Empūsa", entry in William Smith, A Classical Dictionary of Biography, Mythology, and Geography, John Murray, page 240, The Lamiae and Mormolyceia, who assumed the form of handsome women for the purpose of attracting young men, and then sucked their blood like vampyrs and ate their flesh, were reckoned among the Empusae.

Word Forms

• empusas
• empusae
• empousa
• empuse

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include empousa, ephialtes, peri, ureaus, psychopomp, petasus.

Related Dictionary Tools