pythoness
oxford
views updated May 29 2018pythoness female soothsayer, witch. XIV. ME.
phitones(se) — OF.
phitonise (mod.
pythonisse) — medL.
phītōnissa, for late L.
pȳthōnissa (Vulg., 1 Chron. 10: 13), fem. of
pȳthō (Deut. 18: 11) — late Gr.
pū́thōn (Acts 16: 16), identical with
pū́thōn PYTHON; assim. to the L. form; see
-ESS1.
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD
pythoness
oxford
views updated Jun 27 2018pythoness a female soothsayer or conjuror of spirits. Recorded from Middle English, the term comes via Old French from late Latin
pythonissa, based on Greek
puthōn ‘soothsaying’.
The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES
