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Glite Dictionary
🧙 A sorcerer 🐐 A scapegoat
pharmakos

pharmakos

1 9.9
A person thought to use magic or poison to harm others
  • noun
  • /fɑrˈmækəs/
  • Archaic
: fármaco
  • Legends describe the pharmakos as someone who could heal or harm with secret knowledge.

Examples

  • The villagers feared the arrival of a pharmakos who was rumored to bring misfortune.

  • The ancient Greeks often viewed a pharmakos with suspicion.

  • In some ancient rituals, a pharmakos was chosen to carry away the community's sins.

  • The role of a pharmakos was often misunderstood.

  • In some ancient rituals, a pharmakos was chosen to carry away the community's sins.

  • The villagers feared the arrival of a pharmakos who was rumored to bring misfortune.

  • Legends describe the pharmakos as someone who could heal or harm with secret knowledge.

Synonyms

sorcerer
vspharmakos
  • Literature
72 7.9

A person who uses magic to make things happen

is an ancient figure thought to use harmful magic or poison, accused by others

Surface Forms

pharmakos singular
pharmakoi plural

Etymology

Pharmakos comes from the Greek word pharmakon, which means 'drug' or 'poison', so it was used for a person thought to work with potions and harmful magic. That's why pharmakos can mean a sorcerer or poisoner who could heal or harm with secret knowledge.