Medea
/mɪˈdiː.ə/noun
A sorceress in Greek mythology, best known from the tragedy of Medea by Euripides.
Did you know?Medea is a figure from Greek myth, not an ordinary dictionary word, but her story became one of the West’s most enduring symbols of magic, exile, and dangerous feminine power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek myth
Greek
Μήδεια
“Medea, the sorceress of Colchis who aids Jason and later becomes infamous for her vengeance”
Classical Greek
Greek
Μήδεια
“The proper name of the mythic figure as preserved in literature and drama”
Latin
Latin
Medea
“The name Medea, transmitted into Roman literature and scholarship”
Middle English
English
Medea
“The mythological name used in learned and literary contexts”
Modern English
English
Medea
“The Greek mythological sorceress and tragic heroine”