gorgon

gor·gon
G2O1R1G2O1N1
/ˈɡɔːrɡən/

noun

A vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale

Similar
Demogorgon
OriginMiddle English gorgon ← Latin Gorgō ← Ancient Greek Γοργώ →
UncommonScrabble 8
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Meanings

gorgon1

noungorgon (plural gorgons)

plural gorgons

  1. Greekhuman sciencesA vicious female monster from Greek mythology with sharp fangs and hair of living, venomous snakes. One of the three sisters: Medusa, Stheno and Euryale
  2. An intimidating, ugly, or disgusting woman; anything hideous or horrid.

    I'll shrowd this Gorgon from all humane view.

    1670, John Dryden, The Conquest of Granada
    1 more example

    Swilling martinis and spewing venom, Phyllis is a particularly unappetizing gorgon, telling us at one point that an acquaintance of hers is aroused by the Heimlich maneuver.

    2005 July 1, Washington Post
adjectivegorgon (not comparable)
  1. not comparableLike a gorgon; very ugly or terrifying.

Gorgon2

proper noun
  1. obsoleteSynonym of Demogorgon (“a pagan god or demon”).

    Uillain I tel thee, were that Tamburlaine As monſtrous as Gorgon, prince of Hel, The Souldan would not ſtart a foot from him.

    c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act IIII, scene i

    Synonyms: Demogorgon

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounSynonym of Demogorgon (“a pagan god or demon”).

Similar
Demogorgon
Also see
skag

Origin

  1. Ancient GreekΓοργώ
  2. LatinGorgō
  3. Middle Englishgorgon
  4. Englishgorgon

From Middle English gorgon, from Latin Gorgō, from Ancient Greek Γοργώ (Gorgṓ), from γοργός (gorgós, “terrible”). Possibly from the same root as the Sanskrit word "garğ" (गर्जन), which is defined as a guttural sound, similar to the growling of a beast, thus possibly originating as an onomatopoeia.

More words from Middle English, Latin, Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Γοργώ
  • Γοργώ (Gorgṓ)monster in Greek mythology
Catalan gorgona
  • gorgonamonster in Greek mythology
Chinese Mandarin 戈耳工, 戈耳贡
  • 戈耳工 (gē'ěrgōng)monster in Greek mythology
  • 戈耳贡 (gē'ěrgòng)monster in Greek mythology
  • 戈尔贡 (gē'ěrgòng)monster in Greek mythology
Danish gorgon
  • gorgonmonster in Greek mythology
Esperanto gorgono
  • gorgonomonster in Greek mythology
Finnish gorgo
  • gorgomonster in Greek mythology
French gorgone, gorgone
  • gorgonemonster in Greek mythology
  • gorgoneintimidating, ugly or disgusting woman
German Gorgo, Gorgone
  • Gorgomonster in Greek mythology
  • Gorgonemonster in Greek mythology
Italian Gorgone
  • Gorgonemonster in Greek mythology
Japanese ゴルゴン
  • ゴルゴン (gorugon)monster in Greek mythology
Latin Gorgō
  • Gorgōmonster in Greek mythology
Polish gorgona
  • gorgonamonster in Greek mythology
Portuguese górgona
  • górgonamonster in Greek mythology
Romanian gorgonă
  • gorgonămonster in Greek mythology
Russian горго́на, меду́за
  • горго́на (gorgóna)monster in Greek mythology
  • меду́за (medúza)monster in Greek mythology
  • меге́ра (megéra)intimidating, ugly or disgusting woman
  • горго́на (gorgóna)intimidating, ugly or disgusting woman
Spanish gorgona
  • gorgonamonster in Greek mythology
Cite this entry
APA

gorgon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gorgon

MLA

“gorgon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gorgon. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gorgon,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gorgon.

Source: gorgon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.