Etymology

myrmidon

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Today it means: A soldier or a subordinate civil officer who executes orders of a superior without protest or pity (sometimes applied to bailiffs, constables, etc). Full definition →

Latin Myrmidones ← Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες
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myrmidon · noun1

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΜυρμιδόνες
  2. Latin · borrowed fromMyrmidones
  3. English todaymyrmidon

From Myrmidon, from Latin Myrmidones, from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες (Murmidónes).

Myrmidon · noun, proper noun2

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΜυρμιδόνες
  2. Latin · borrowed fromMyrmidones
  3. English todayMyrmidon

From Latin Myrmidones, from Ancient Greek Μυρμιδόνες (Murmidónes), a tribe of warriors led by Achilles to the Trojan War. Folk etymology in Ovid's time derived the tribe's name from μυρμηδών (murmēdṓn, “ant-nest”), from μύρμηξ (múrmēx, “ant”)).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.