A.Word.A.Day --Damoclean

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Oct 7, 2024

This week’s theme
Eponymic adjectives

This week’s words
Damoclean
Penelopean
melpomenish
Alician
Atlantean

Sword of Damocles (detail)

Art: Herbert Gandy

Previous week’s theme
Words differing by a letter

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Myths, stories, and fiction entertain us, of course, but they also serve a practical purpose. They help us see the possibilities, foresee consequences, weigh rewards and punishments, all without actually having to dive headfirst into the harsh realities of experience firsthand.

The fact that we don’t always learn is another matter.

This week we’ve selected five people from the world of make-believe who have leaped off the page and become words in the English language. A word coined after someone is called an eponym, from Greek epi- (upon) + -onym (name). This week we’ll look at eponymic adjectives.

Which fictional character would you like to turn into an adjective? Share below or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state) -- because who knows, you might become an eponym yourself one day.

Now that would be a myth-take worth making!

Damoclean

PRONUNCIATION:

(dam-uh-KLEE-uhn)

MEANING:

adjective: Involving imminent danger.

ETYMOLOGY:

After Damocles of Greek legend. Earliest documented use: 1888.

NOTES:

Damocles was a courtier in the court of Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse. Damocles, eager to flatter his king, lavished him with excessive praise. Annoyed by the flattery, the king decided to teach Damocles a memorable lesson.
He held a sumptuous banquet in honor of Damocles. Above Damocles’ seat, he placed a gleaming sword suspended by a single horsehair. When Damocles saw the sword hanging over his head, he lost all taste for the lavish feast. In that moment, Damocles understood that even those in positions of privilege live under constant threat. Interestingly, the word imminent literally means hanging over.

USAGE:

“Brand becomes increasingly involved, coping with the Damoclean dread that comes with operating in a quarantined area against agitated occupiers.”
Jason Matthews; Survivor Guilt; The New York Times Book Review; Jul 31, 2016.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Writing is thinking on paper. -William Zinsser, writer and editor (7 Oct 1922-2015)

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