Morpheus

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A figure in Greek mythology known as the god of dreams, who can take any human form in dreams to communicate messages
2. The deity associated with delivering dreams and visions, often depicted as a messenger of the gods in the context of sleep
3. Personification of dreams in ancient lore, representing the ability to shape dreams and convey the subconscious thoughts of mortals

Etymology: Ovid, the Roman poet, gives us the earliest known appearance of Morpheus in his "Metamorphoses," and the god seems to be his invention, since no earlier Greek or Latin work mentions him. The name comes from the Ancient Greek "morphē," meaning "form" or "shape," with the suffix "-eus," which forms masculine nouns for people concerned with particular things. Morpheus was the figure who could take on any human shape in a dream, so his name literally means something like "the shaper." That detail explains the god's role. Morpheus did not simply send dreams; he could imitate any person a sleeper had seen, reproducing their voice, gestures and appearance so the dreamer believed they were meeting a real individual. The name thus fits his job of shaping the forms that mortals encounter while asleep.