empusa

plural empusas · plural empusae · alternative empousa · alternative empuse

1. Greekhuman sciencesIn Ancient Greek mythology, a kind of spectre sent by Hecate to guard roads and devour travellers.

   The empusae of Greek mythology demonstrate physical animal traits of the donkey and the female dog in order to emphasize certain negative characteristics associated with these animals in mythology that can also be applied to human beings.

   2016, Heide Crawford, The Origins of the Literary Vampire, Rowman & Littlefield, page 41

   1 more example

   1858, "Empūsa", entry in William Smith, A Classical Dictionary of Biography, Mythology, and Geography, John Murray, page 240, The Lamiae and Mormolyceia, who assumed the form of handsome women for the purpose of attracting young men, and then sucked their blood like vampyrs and ate their flesh, were reckoned among the Empusae.

1. Greekhuman sciencesA monster sent by (and sometimes the progeny of) the goddess Hecate; when imagined as the first or only empusa, or as a species of monster.

   The Empusa was a female vampire from Greek mythology that feasted on the blood of men.

   2014, Barbara Cox, Scott Forbes, Haunted Homes, Gareth Stevens Publishing, page 20

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   Hobbes compares this hybrid school divinity to Empusa, a female specter in ancient Greek mythology who was supposed to have been sent by the goddess Hecate[…].

   1999, Douglas M. Jesseph, Squaring the Circle, University of Chicago Press, page 311

plural Empusas · plural Empusae

1. Alternative letter-case form of empusa.

   The Empusa are commanded by Hecate, one of the Greek Moon goddesses.

   2015, Rachel Alexander, Myths, Symbols and Legends of Solar System Bodies, Springer, page 104