Chimera

English

Chimera on a red-figure Apulian plate, c. 350–340 B.C.E. (Musée du Louvre)

Alternative forms

Etymology

As the mythological beast, a variant case form of chimera, q.v. As an ancient mountain, directly from Latin mons Chimaera (Mount Chimera), from Ancient Greek Χίμαιρα (Khímaira), attested in Strabo.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Chimera

  1. (Greek mythology) A supposed fire-breathing monster in Lycia with the head of a lion, body of a goat, and tail of a dragon or snake, killed by the hero Bellerophon.
  2. (geography, Ancient Greece) A fire-spewing mountain in Lycia or Cilicia, presumed to be an ancient name for the Yanartaş region of Turkey's Antalya Province.
    • 1771, Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1st ed., Vol. II, p. 184:
      CHIMERA... The foundation of the fable was, that in Lycia there was a burning mountain, or vulcano, of this name; that the top of this mountain was ſeldom without lions, nor the middle, which had very good graſs, without goats; that ſerpents bred at the bottom, which was marſhy; and that Bellerophon rendered the mountain habitable.
  3. (historical) Former name of Himara, a port town in southern Albania.
  4. (historical) Former name of Ceraunian Mountains, the Albanian mountain range near Himara.

Coordinate terms

Translations

References

Anagrams

Polish

Chimera

Alternative forms

  • Chimajra

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin Chimaera, from Ancient Greek Χίμαιρα (Khímaira).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /xiˈmɛ.ra/
  • Rhymes: -ɛra
  • Syllabification: Chi‧me‧ra
  • Homophone: chimera

Proper noun

Chimera f

  1. (Greek mythology) Chimera (monster killed by Bellerophon)

Declension

adjectives
adverb
  • chimerycznie
nouns
  • chimera
  • chimeryczka
  • chimeryczność
  • chimeryk
  • chimeryzm
verbs
  • chimerować impf
  • schimerować pf

Further reading

  • Chimera in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
  • Chimera in Polish dictionaries at PWN
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