Gorgon

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɡɔːrɡən/

Definitions

1. A monstrous female creature from Greek mythology with snakes for hair whose gaze could turn anyone who looked upon it into stone | a terrifying or repulsive woman
2. A fearsome mythological being whose appearance or stare causes petrification or death | any deeply frightening or hideous female figure
3. A mythological female monster with serpentine hair whose deadly stare petrifies onlookers, or by extension any terrifying and repellent woman

Etymology: The word "gorgon" descends directly from ancient Greek mythology, where the Gorgons were three monstrous female figures whose appearance was so horrifying that anyone who looked upon them turned to stone. The most famous was Medusa. The English noun "gorgon" entered the language in the 14th century, borrowed directly from Old French "gorgone," which in turn came from Latin "Gorgō" and Greek "Gorgṓ" (Γοργώ). The Greek root likely derives from "gorgós," meaning "fierce" or "grim," though some etymologists connect it to "gorgerós," meaning "terrible" or "dreadful." The exact prehistoric origin remains uncertain, but the word was firmly established in Greek culture by the time Homer and Hesiod wrote about these creatures. During the medieval and Renaissance periods, "gorgon" retained its mythological sense but gradually acquired a broader figurative meaning. By the 16th and 17th centuries, English writers began using "gorgon" as a general noun to describe any hideously ugly woman or a person of frightening appearance, extending the mythological reference into everyday language. This metaphorical shift reflects how classical allusions often become common descriptors in European languages. The adjective form developed naturally from this noun, allowing writers to describe something as "gorgon-like" or simply "gorgon" when applied attributively. The modern usage of "gorgon" as an insult or descriptor of an ugly or terrifying woman persists in English, though it is now often considered archaic or literary. The word also appears in scientific nomenclature and popular culture, where it continues to evoke the classical image of something monstrous and petrifying. The persistence of the Gorgon myth in Western culture—reinforced through art, literature, and modern retellings—has kept the word alive as both a mythological reference and a figure of speech.

Synonyms: monster, fury, serpent, witch, demon