Midas

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A figure from Greek mythology known for his ability to turn everything he touched into gold
2. A symbol of wealth and prosperity, often associated with the dangers of greed
3. A legendary king whose wish underscores the pitfalls of excessive desire and its consequences

Etymology: King Midas of Greek myth is the source of the word, and the myth is the reason the name became a byword for wealth. In the story, Midas, a king of Phrygia in central Anatolia, was granted his wish that everything he touched turn to gold, and he soon found himself unable to eat or drink. The name itself is Phrygian, the language of his homeland, and reached the Greeks as "Mídās" before passing into Latin as "Midās" and then into English. English borrowed the name directly from Latin, a learned route typical of classical figures, so the word is less a common noun that drifted into English than a mythological name that kept its identity while taking on a general sense. Its use as a symbol of wealth follows from the golden touch at the heart of the legend, where riches become a curse.