Hermes
/ˈhɜːrmiːz/noun
In Greek mythology, the messenger god, patron of travelers, commerce, thieves, and boundaries.
Did you know?Hermes’ name is ancient Greek and probably connected to the word for a boundary stone or heap, which fits his role as the god who guarded borders, roads, and crossings.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Greek
PGk
*hermā-
“likely a boundary marker or stone heap”
Ancient Greek
Gk
Ἑρμῆς (Hermēs)
“the god Hermes, associated with roads, boundaries, messengers, and luck”
Classical Latin
Lat
Hermēs
“the Greek god Hermes, borrowed into Roman usage”
Middle English
Eng
Hermes
“the name of the Greek deity in learned and literary contexts”
Modern English
Eng
Hermes
“the Greek messenger god; also used as a proper name”
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