Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Medea

Medea

2 9.7
A princess in Greek stories who helps Jason get the Golden Fleece and later takes terrible revenge
  • proper noun
  • /məˈdiːə/
  • Literature
: Medea
  • Meanwhile, Medea, seized with fierce desire by reason, strives to quench the raging fire, but strives in vain.
  • Medea Project

Meanwhile, Medea, seized with fierce desire by reason, strives to quench the raging fire, but strives in vain.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • A key figure in the myth of Jason and the Argonauts, Medea played a crucial role in securing the Golden Fleece.

  • Considered a maternally acting, "selfish" gene, it's called the Medea factor—named after the enchantress in Greek mythology who murders her own children for personal gain.

    Academic text (2005)

  • His heroine, Medea, is a foreign woman who has unusual powers.

  • A pre-Homeric Greek ballad, the Argonautika, tells us the story of Medea.

    Blog text (4)

  • In the mythical world, Ibsen's characters confronted problems equal to those faced by Hamlet, Medea, and Oedipus.

    Academic text (1997)

  • In Greek mythology, Medea is known for her tragic story of vengeance and betrayal.

  • The tale of Medea illustrates the complexities of love and revenge in ancient Greece.

Surface Forms

Medea main

Etymology

Medea is an old Greek name linked to the root μέδομαι, which means 'to plan' or 'to think'. That's why the myth shows Medea as a clever woman who planned bold actions to help Jason and later to take revenge.