myrmidon
/ˈmɝ.mɪˌdɑn/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.58 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A soldier or a subordinate civil officer who executes orders of a superior without protest or pity (sometimes applied to bailiffs, constables, etc).
noun
One of a fierce tribe or troop who accompanied Achilles, their king, in the Trojan War.
Example Sentences
- "Antonia bustled round the ransack'd room, / And, turning up her nose, with looks abused / Her master, and his myrmidons, of whom / Not one, except the attorney, was amused; […]"
- "Tobias (to Jonas Fogg, manager of a madhouse): "I will die ere I submit to you or your vile myrmidons.""
- "When the day came round for my return to the scene of the deed of violence, my terrors reached their height. Whether myrmidons of Justice, especially sent down from London, would be lying in ambush behind the gate; […]"
- "He cared no more for the Devil and all his myrmidons, for he kenned brawly he was damned."
- "My heart wells up in admiration of the man, as I think of his participation in the memorable struggle of Homestead. He fought the Pinkertons, the myrmidons of Capital."
- "[…]headed for a revelation to the District Attorney that would probably result in my having the pleasure of meeting H. R. Corbett or some other flatfooted myrmidon[…]"
Etymology
From Myrmidon, from Latin Myrmidones, from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες (Murmidónes).
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: Myrmidones, Μυρμιδόνες, Μυρμιδών
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈmɝ.mɪˌdɑn/
- British English: /ˈmɜː.mɪˌdɒn/