Achelous
/ˌækəˈluːəs/noun
In Greek mythology, the river god of the Achelous River, often depicted as a shape-shifting deity.
Did you know?Achelous was so powerful in myth that he fought Heracles in multiple forms, and his name is tied to a real river in Greece, where divine identity and geography were once inseparable.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀχελῷος (Akhelôios)
“The divine personification of the Achelous River”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Ἀχελῷος
“A river god and major river in western Greece”
Latin
Latin
Achelous
“The Greek river deity/name adopted into Latin literature”
Middle English
English
Achelous
“A learned classical reference to the Greek river god”
Modern English
English
Achelous
“The name of the Greek river god and mythological figure”