Maenad

Maenad
Maenad M[ae]"nad, n. [L. Maenas, -adis, Gr. ?, ?, fr. ? to rave.] 1. A Bacchante; a priestess or votary of Bacchus. [1913 Webster]

2. A frantic or frenzied woman. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • maenad — (n.) Bacchante, 1570s, from Gk. mainas (gen. mainados) priestess of Bacchus, lit. madwoman, from stem of mainesthai to rage, go mad (see MANIA (Cf. mania)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • maenad — ► NOUN ▪ (in ancient Greece) a female follower of the god Bacchus, traditionally associated with frenzied rites. ORIGIN Greek Mainas, from mainesthai to rave …   English terms dictionary

  • maenad — [mē′nad΄] n. [L Maenas (gen. Maenadis) < Gr mainas (gen. mainados) < mainesthai, to rave < IE * mnā , var. of base * men , to think > MIND] 1. [often M ] a female votary of Dionysus, who took part in the wild, orgiastic rites that… …   English World dictionary

  • Maenad — Bacchae redirects here. For the tragedy by Euripides, see The Bacchae. Bassarids redirects here. For the opera by Hans Werner Henze, see The Bassarids. Furious Maenad,carrying a thyrsus and a panther,with a snake rolled up over her head.Tondo of… …   Wikipedia

  • maenad — noun Etymology: Latin maenad , maenas, from Greek mainad , mainas, from mainesthai to be mad; akin to Greek menos spirit more at mind Date: 1579 1. bacchante 2. an unnaturally excited or distraught woman • maenadic adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • maenad — maenadic, adj. maenadism, n. /mee nad/, n. 1. bacchante. 2. a frenzied or raging woman. [1570 80; < L Maenad (s. of Maenas) < Gk Mainás a bacchante, special use of mainás madwoman] * * * …   Universalium

  • maenad — mae•nad [[t]ˈmi næd[/t]] n. 1) myt bacchante 2) a frenzied or raging woman • Etymology: 1570–80; < L Maenad (s. of Maenas) < Gk Mainás a bacchante, lit., madwoman mae•nad′ic, adj. mae′nad•ism, n …   From formal English to slang

  • maenad — n. 1 a bacchante. 2 a frenzied woman. Derivatives: maenadic adj. Etymology: L Maenas Maenad f. Gk Mainas ados f. mainomai rave …   Useful english dictionary

  • maenad — noun /ˈmi.næd/ a) A female follower of Dionysus, associated with intense reveling. b) An excessively wild or emotional woman …   Wiktionary

  • maenad — see MANIA …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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