Dione

Part of speech: noun, proper noun

Definitions

1. A name from Greek mythology associated with the goddess of fertility and the mother of Aphrodite
2. A term referring to a moon of Saturn that is named after a character in mythology known for her beauty
3. An alternative reference to a historical figure or a celestial body, often linked to themes of femininity and nature's bounty

Etymology: Dione is one of the moons of Saturn, and its name is a small piece of chemistry hiding in plain sight. It is built from the prefix "di-", meaning two, plus the "-one" ending that chemists attach to ketones, so the name is essentially a joke about its own construction. Its roots go back through Ancient Greek "dǐ-", which also means "twice" or "double," and the same prefix appears in words like "dioxide" and "dimer." The name was not chosen for its meaning in the sky but for its sound and its tidy place among the other Saturnian names. Dione was named after a Titan, a figure from Greek mythology, in keeping with the tradition of naming the moons of Saturn after the Titans and their associates. The Greek "dǐ-" prefix and the chemical "-one" ending were simply brought together in English to form a convenient label, so the moon's name ties a mythological figure to the vocabulary of the laboratory.

Synonyms: Dione (mythology), Dione (moon)