eumenides means the Erinyes. It carries an Arena rating of 1505, earned across 7 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, eumenides ranks #98 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #390 of 17,104 for Most Storied Words, #487 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words, #1,889 of 17,131 for Scariest Words.
eumenides is pronounced /juˈmɛnɪdiːz/.
Why “eumenides” is a great word
The propitiatory title for the Erinyes, the chthonic goddesses of vengeance, invoking their benevolent aspect as 'the gracious ones'. From Ancient Greek Εὐμενίδες (Eumenídes), from εὐ- (eu-, 'well, good') and μένος (ménos, 'spirit, mind'), literally meaning 'the well-minded ones,' a propitiatory euphemism. Unlike 'Erinyes,' which names their primal, wrathful nature, or 'Semnai Theai,' which elevates them as solemnly august, 'Eumenides' is the careful word offered to appease, to turn fury into favor. It is the wine poured at the crossroads at dusk, the honeyed cake left in the mouth of a cave, the whispered plea in a sacred grove—the fragile human hope that terror itself can be persuaded to be kind.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek Εὐμενίδες (Eumenídes, “gracious ones”).
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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