Aphrodite
/ˌæf.rəˈdaɪ.ti/noun
The Greek goddess of love, beauty, desire, and sexual attraction.
Did you know?Unlike words such as “disaster” or “mortgage,” Aphrodite’s name has no universally accepted etymology, and ancient Greeks themselves connected her to sea-foam in myth rather than a secure linguistic root.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἀφροδίτη (Aphrodítē)
“The name of the goddess of love and beauty in Greek religion and myth.”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
ἀφρός (aphrós)
“Foam or froth; later associated in myth with the goddess’s birth from the sea.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
δίδωμι (dídōmi)
“To give; sometimes proposed in speculative ancient explanations, but not accepted as the true source.”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Ἀφροδίτη
“The established divine name used in literature, cult, and philosophy across the Greek world.”
Modern English
English
Aphrodite
“The standard English form of the Greek goddess’s name.”