hamadryad
pronunciation
How to pronounce hamadryad in British English:
UK [ˌhæmə'draɪəd]
How to pronounce hamadryad in American English:
US [ˌhæmə'draɪəd]
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- Noun:
- the nymph or spirit of a particular tree
- large cobra of southeastern Asia and the East Indies; the largest venomous snake; sometimes placed in genus Naja
Word Origin
- hamadryad (n.)
- late 14c., from Greek hamadryas (plural hamadryades) "wood-nymph," fabled to die with her tree, from hama "together with" (see same) + dryas (plural dryades) "wood nymph," from drus (genitive dryos) "tree," especially "oak," from PIE *deru- "tree, wood, oak" (see tree (n.)). Use in 19c. biology for a type of butterfly, a type of venomous Indian serpent, and a type of large hairy baboon.
Example
- 1. The hamadryad promised to marry him but asked him to return at a certain time .
- 2. Hast thou not dragged diana from her car ? And driven the hamadryad from the wood to seek a shelter in some happier star ?