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Greek goddess

Greek goddess

2 5.4
A woman who is a god in ancient Greek stories
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : diosa griega
  • Discovered by German astronomer Heinrich Olbers, this object was named for Pallas Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war.

Examples

  • In ancient mythology, Hera is known as the Greek goddess of marriage and family.

  • She was the Greek goddess of magic.

  • Hestia was a Greek goddess.

  • If so, we ought to set up shrines to Ate, the Greek goddess of illusion.

    Academic text (1995)
  • Gaia, the Greek goddess of the earth, has re-emerged in popular consciousness, thanks to scientist and author James Lovelock.

    Fiction book (1994)
  • The ancient Greek goddess Gaia, who has been reclaimed by many people as a symbol of the earth, is also embraced by Buddhist environmentalists, men and women alike.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, often aided heroes in their quests.

  • The statue in the park represents Artemis, the Greek goddess of the hunt.

Synonyms

Hera
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
581 7.3

A Greek goddess who is queen of the gods, wife of Zeus, and protector of marriage and family

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a ruling figure
Phoebe
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
403 9.8

A goddess from Greek myth linked to the Moon and Artemis

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a moon linked figure
goddess
vsGreek goddess
280 4.4

A woman that people worship because she has great magical power

is restricted to female divine beings from ancient Greek tradition only
Ge
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
47 9.9

A Greek goddess who is the earth and mother of the Titans

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not the earth personification
Artemis
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
45 8.0

A goddess of hunting, wild places, and the moon who protects animals and young women

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a hunt protector
Aphrodite
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
41 8.2

A Greek goddess of love and beauty in ancient stories

is the general class of ancient female divinities without single focus
Athena
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
39 6.7

A Greek goddess of wisdom, crafts, and war who protects Athens

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a named figure
Rhea
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
15 9.8

A mother goddess in ancient Greek stories, wife of Cronus and mother of Zeus

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a specific mother figure
Muse
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
11 8.6

A goddess in ancient Greek stories who inspires people to create art or learn

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not the artistic inspirer group
Gaia
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
8 8.9

A Greek goddess who is the Earth and mother of the Titans

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not solely the earth figure
Demeter
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
7 8.9

A Greek goddess of farming, birth, and marriage

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a crop specialist
Leto
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
6 9.4

A Greek goddess who is the mother of Apollo and Artemis and is called Latona in Roman myth

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a named mother figure
Gaea
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
3 9.9

The Greek earth goddess who is mother of Cronus and the Titans

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not the earth mother
Titaness
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
1 9.9

A giant goddess from Greek myths who is a daughter of Uranus and Gaea

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not the older primordial group
Greek deity
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
1 7.2

A god or goddess from ancient Greece who people worship

is the specific class of ancient female divinities rather than all divine beings
Pallas Athena
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
8.9

A Greek goddess of wisdom and war who protects the city of Athens

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a specific deity
Hygeia
vsGreek goddess
  • Literature
9.9

A Greek goddess of health and healing

is the general class of ancient female divinities, not a health specialist

Surface Forms

Greek goddess singular

Morphology

Greek + goddess

The phrase 'Greek goddess' is fully compositional: an adjective 'Greek' (pertaining to Greece) modifies 'goddess' (a female deity), so the meaning of a female deity associated with Greek culture is directly derivable from the parts. This formation is cross-linguistically common and follows a basic adjective+noun pattern that a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand.

Etymology

Greek goddess comes from old stories in Greece where people imagined powerful women as gods living on Mount Olympus. Greek points to the place and goddess is the female form of 'god', so the phrase means 'a female god' from ancient Greek myth.