Adjacent Words

Myrmidon definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MYR'MIDON, n. [Gr. a multitude of ants.] Primarily, the Myrmidons are said to have been a people on the borders of Thessaly, who accompanied Achilles to the war against Troy. Hence the name came to signify a soldier of a rough character, a desperate soldier or ruffian.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: a follower who carries out orders without question
2: (Greek mythology) a member of the warriors who followed Achilles on the expedition against Troy

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Middle English Mirmydon, Latin Myrmidon-, Myrmido, from Greek Myrmid?n Date: 15th century 1. capitalized a member of a legendary Thessalian people who accompanied their king Achilles in the Trojan War 2. a loyal follower; especially a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a hired ruffian. 2 a base servant. Etymology: L Myrmidones (pl.) f. Gk Murmidones, warlike Thessalian people who went with Achilles to Troy

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Myrmidon Myr"mi*don, n. [L. Myrmidones, Gr. ?, pl.] 1. One of a fierce tribe or troop who accompained Achilles, their king, to the Trojan war. 2. A soldier or a subordinate civil officer who executes cruel orders of a superior without protest or pity; -- sometimes applied to bailiffs, constables, etc. --Thackeray. With unabated ardor the vindictive man of law and his myrmidons pressed forward. --W. H. Ainsworth.

Moby Thesaurus

adherent, assistant, creature, dependent, disciple, dummy, employee, feudatory, figurehead, flunky, follower, gillie, girl Friday, goon, hanger-on, henchman, hired hand, hired man, hireling, homager, inferior, jackal, lackey, liege, liege man, man, man Friday, mercenary, minion, pensioner, peon, puppet, retainer, right-hand man, satellite, serf, slave, stooge, subordinate, sycophant, thug, underling, understrapper, vassal, votary, worker, yeoman