Psychopomp
/ˈsaɪ.kə.pɒmp/noun
A guide of souls to the place of the dead in various religious and mythological traditions.
Did you know?In ancient Greece, psychopomps like Hermes were believed to escort souls safely to the afterlife, blurring the line between life and death.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sweḱ-
“to be strong; to have power, often associated with the soul or mind.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ψυχοπομπός (psychopompós)
“soul guide; a being who conducts souls to the afterlife.”
Latin
Latin
psychopompos
“borrowed from Greek, retaining the meaning of conductor of souls.”
Middle English
Middle English
psychopomp
“adoption of the term from Latin or Greek, referring to guides of the deceased.”
Modern English
English
psychopomp
“a term used in contemporary spiritual contexts to describe guides of the dead.”