Prometheus
pronunciation
How to pronounce Prometheus in British English:
UK [prəˈmiθju:s]
How to pronounce Prometheus in American English:
US [prəˈmiθiəs, -ˌθjus]
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- Noun:
- (Greek mythology) the Titan who stole fire from Olympus and gave it to mankind; Zeus punished him by chaining him to a rock where an eagle gnawed at his liver until Hercules rescued him
Word Origin
- Prometheus
- demigod (son of the Titan Iapetus) who made man from clay and stole fire from heaven and taught mankind its use, for which he was punished by Zeus by being chained to a rock in the Caucasus, where a vulture came every day and preyed on his liver. The name is Greek, and anciently was interpreted as literally "forethinker, foreseer," from promethes "thinking before," from pro- "before" (see pro-) + *methos, related to mathein "to learn," from enlargement of PIE root *men- "to think" (see mind (n.)). However Watkins suggests the second element is possibly from a base meaning "to steal," also found in Sanskrit mathnati "he steals."
Example
- 1. Prometheus 's supporters include bio and several tech firms .
- 2. Prometheus and its allies warn of an alternative apocalypse .
- 3. This is how prometheus returns in our century .
- 4. Mayo said that prometheus had claimed ownership of a natural process .
- 5. Prometheus is part of a series of suits over biotech patents .