maenadic

Variant of maenad

maenad definition

mae·nad (mē′nad′)

noun

  1. a female votary of Dionysus, who took part in the wild, orgiastic rites that characterized his worship; bacchante
  2. a frenzied or raging woman

Etymology: L Maenas (gen. Maenadis) < Gr mainas (gen. mainados) < mainesthai, to rave < IE *mnā-, var. of base *men-, to think > mind

Related Forms:

  • maenadic mae·nad′ic (mē nad′ik) adjective

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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