promethean

/pɹəˈmiː.θɪ.ən/

promethean means of or pertaining to Prometheus, a demigod in Greek mythology who created mortals from clay and stole fire from Zeus to give to them, for which Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle feed on his liver which grew back each night; he was later rescued by Heracles. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 83 out of 100.

promethean is pronounced /pɹəˈmiː.θɪ.ən/.

Why “promethean” is a great word

Adjective: Boldly creative and defiantly inventive, especially in challenging established limits to bring new knowledge or power to humanity, in the manner of the Titan Prometheus. Noun: One who embodies such transformative audacity, or a type of early friction match. From the name Prometheus (from Ancient Greek Προμηθεύς (Promētheús), from προμηθής (promēthḗs, "having forethought"), from προ- (pro-, "before") + μανθάνω (manthánō, "to learn, understand")) + the English suffix -an ("of or pertaining to"). First recorded in English use in the 1580s. Unlike "Herculean" (which denotes a task of immense strength) or "inventive" (a general capacity for creation), Promethean implies a transgressive and culture-defining act born of foresight and rebellion. It is the shudder of lightning stolen from heaven, the first blinding spark of a phosphorus match in the dark, and the unbearable heat of a liver eternally regrown—the singular, costly fire of an idea that, once gifted, can never be taken back.

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Prometheus (“demigod in Greek mythology”) + -an (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives; and forming agent nouns). Prometheus is a learned borrowing from Latin Promētheus, and from its etymon Ancient Greek Προμηθεύς (Promētheús), from προμηθής (promēthḗs, “having forethought”) (from προ- (pro-, prefix meaning ‘before’) + μᾰνθᾰ́νω (mănthắnō, “to learn; to know, understand”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *men- (“to mind; to think”) + *dʰeh₁- (“to do; to place, put”), in the sense of putting one’s mind to something)) + -εύς (-eús, suffix forming a masculine noun of the person concerned with a thing). The noun is derived from the adjective.

adj

Of or pertaining to Prometheus, a demigod in Greek mythology who created mortals from clay and stole fire from Zeus to give to them, for which Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle feed on his liver which grew back each night; he was later rescued by Heracles.“And, like Promethian life-begetting flame, / Pure bodies in the element should frame; / As to what part of heauen they hapt to stray, / There should they make another milkie way.”
Of or pertaining to Prometheus, a demigod in Greek mythology who created mortals from clay and stole fire from Zeus to give to them, for which Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle feed on his liver which grew back each night; he was later rescued by Heracles.; Boldly creative, inventive, or original; skilful, talented; also, recklessly daring; audacious.“Therefore Promethean poets with the coals / Of their most genial, more-than-human souls / In living verse, created men like these, / With shapes of Centaurs, Harpies, Lapithes, […]”
Of or pertaining to Prometheus, a demigod in Greek mythology who created mortals from clay and stole fire from Zeus to give to them, for which Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock and having an eagle feed on his liver which grew back each night; he was later rescued by Heracles.; Of a Romantic literary hero: defying traditional moral categories; rebelling against a larger order; persecuted but dauntless.
Of or pertaining to the promethea silkmoth (Callosamia promethea).

noun

One with the qualities of Prometheus, or who acts in a Promethean manner (audaciously, creatively, etc.).“The Fall is a view of life. It is not only the only enlightening, but the only encouraging view of life. It holds, as against the only real alternative philosophies, those of the Buddhist or the Pessimist or the Promethean.”
A kind of lucifer match consisting of a glass tube containing sulfuric acid coated on the outside with a flammable mixture of potassium chlorate and sugar and wrapped in paper rolls; the match was lit by crushing the tube with pliers, causing the acid to react with and ignite the flammable components. This type of match was superseded by the friction match which was lit by rubbing against a rough surface.“I carried with me some promethean matches, which I ignited by biting; it was thought so wonderful that a man should strike fire with his teeth, that it was usual to collect the whole family to see it: I was once offered a dollar for a single one.”

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