satyr
satyr Lexical Profile
satyr Game Scores & Validity
• noun
In Greek mythology, a woodland deity and companion of Dionysus, originally depicted with the ears and tail of a horse and later conflated with the Roman faun as having the horns, legs, and tail of a goat, noted for revelry, music, and unrestrained lust.
"The ancient Greek vase depicted a lively procession of maenads and a pipe-playing satyr dancing through the vineyard."
A man who has strong, unrestrained, or excessive sexual desires.
"In the novel, the aging aristocrat is portrayed as a shameless satyr who relentlessly pursues younger women."
Any of various brownish or grayish brush-footed butterflies of the subfamily Satyrinae, typically inhabiting wooded or grassy areas and having prominent eyespots on the wings.
"While hiking along the shaded forest trail, we spotted a Carolina satyr resting on a fallen oak leaf."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'satyr' (a mythological woodland creature) with 'satire' (the use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize human folly); despite their similar spelling and pronunciation, the two words have unrelated etymologies.
• Rhymes for satyr
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed via Old French and Latin 'satyrus' from Ancient Greek 'satyros', denoting a companion of Dionysus with horse-like or goat-like features, ultimately of uncertain pre-Greek origin.