Empusa

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A female phantom in Greek mythology known for seducing men and feeding on their life force
2. A demon or spirit in folklore characterized by a seductive nature and a predilection for causing harm to individuals
3. An entity from ancient legends, often described as a shape-shifter with the ability to enthrall and ensnare unsuspecting victims

Etymology: Empusa was a shape-shifting female spirit in Greek myth, said to appear at night to travelers and to seduce and devour young men. The Greek name Ἔμπουσα (Émpousa) is the source of the English word, and it has an unusual physical sense behind the myth: the creature was thought to have one leg of bronze and one of donkey or ass, which is why the figure was so feared. Ancient writers, including Aristophanes, portray her as a monstrous apparition rather than a figure of romance. In English, the word has stayed close to its mythological core. It is used for the spirit itself and, in more technical contexts, for a genus of insects, the empusids, named after the creature because of their strange, threatening appearance. The insects carry the same mythic connotation of an uncanny, shape-shifting predator.