Xanthus
/ˈzænθəs/noun
A name used in classical literature and mythology, especially for several rivers and figures in ancient Greek tradition.
Did you know?In Greek, xanthós could describe anything yellowish or blond, and it gave its name to mythic figures and places long before it ever became a modern name.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ǵʰelh₃-
“to shine, be yellow or greenish-yellow”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ξανθός (xanthós)
“yellow, golden, blond”
Classical Greek
Greek
Ξάνθος (Xánthos)
“a mythic name, including a river and various personal names”
Latin
Latin
Xanthus
“a Latinized form of the Greek name”
Modern English
English
Xanthus
“a classical name used in literature, mythology, and taxonomy”
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