gorgon

See also: Gorgon, Gorgoń, Gorgón, and gorĝon

English

Etymology

From Middle English gorgon, from Latin Gorgō, from Ancient Greek Γοργώ (Gorgṓ), from γοργός (gorgós, “terrible”). Possibly from the same root as the Sanskrit word "garğ" (गर्जन), which is defined as a guttural sound, similar to the growling of a beast, thus possibly originating as an onomatopoeia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡɔːrɡən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: gor‧gon

Noun

gorgon (plural gorgons)

1. (Greek mythology) A vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale
2. An intimidating, ugly, or disgusting woman; anything hideous or horrid.
   • 1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada:

     I'll shrowd this Gorgon from all humane view.

   • 2005 July 1, Washington Post:

     Swilling martinis and spewing venom, Phyllis is a particularly unappetizing gorgon, telling us at one point that an acquaintance of hers is aroused by the Heimlich maneuver.

Translations

monster in Greek mythology

• Armenian: գորգոն (gorgon)
• Catalan: gorgona f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 戈耳工 (gē'ěrgōng), 戈耳贡 (gē'ěrgòng)，戈尔贡 (gē'ěrgòng)

• Danish: gorgon c
• Esperanto: gorgono
• Finnish: gorgo (fi)
• French: gorgone (fr) f
• Georgian: გორგონი (gorgoni)
• German: Gorgo f, Gorgone f
• Greek:

  Ancient: Γοργώ f (Gorgṓ)

• Italian: Gorgone f
• Japanese: ゴルゴン (gorugon)
• Latin: Gorgō f
• Middle English: gorgon
• Occitan: gorgona f
• Polish: gorgona f
• Portuguese: górgona (pt) f
• Romanian: gorgonă (ro) f
• Russian: горго́на (ru) f (gorgóna), меду́за (ru) f (medúza)
• Spanish: gorgona f

intimidating, ugly or disgusting woman

• French: gorgone (fr) f
• Russian: меге́ра (ru) f (megéra), горго́на (ru) f (gorgóna)

Adjective

gorgon (not comparable)

1. Like a gorgon; very ugly or terrifying.

See also

• Medusa

References

• Chambers's Etymological Dictionary, 1896, p. 208

Middle English

Alternative forms

• Gorgon

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin Gorgō, from Ancient Greek Γοργώ (Gorgṓ).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡɔrˈɡoːn/, /ˈɡɔrɡɔn/

Noun

gorgon (plural gorgones)

1. (rare) gorgon

Descendants

• English: gorgon (obsolete)

References

• “Gorgon, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.