Moires

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The three Fates in Greek mythology who control human destiny through spinning, measuring, and cutting the thread of life
2. Mythical figures representing fate, each responsible for a different aspect of a person's life, often depicted in literature and art
3. Personifications of fate in ancient Greek storytelling, signifying the inevitable nature of life and death through their actions

Etymology: "Moires" is the plural of "moire," a fabric with a rippling, watered pattern, not a name for the Fates. Moire was borrowed from French, where it came from English "mohair," the wool of the Angora goat, so the fabric is named for the fibre it was once woven from. The three goddesses of destiny are the Moirai, from the Greek "moira," meaning "portion" or "fate." That Greek word is unrelated to the French-derived fabric term, and the two only look alike in English spelling.

Synonyms: fates, destinies, furies