Cassandra

[ kuh-san-druh ]

noun

1. Also called Alexandra. Classical Mythology. a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, a prophet cursed by Apollo so that her prophecies, though true, were fated never to be believed.
2. a person who prophesies doom or disaster.
3. a female given name: from a Greek word meaning “helper of men.”

Cassandra

/ kəˈsændrə /

noun

1. Greek myth a daughter of Priam and Hecuba, endowed with the gift of prophecy but fated never to be believed
2. anyone whose prophecies of doom are unheeded

Cassandra

1. In classical mythology , a prophetess in Troy during the Trojan War (see also Trojan War ) whose predictions, although true, were never believed by those around her. Apollo had given her the gift of prophecy but made it worthless after she refused his amorous advances. The Greeks captured Cassandra after their victory and sacrilegiously removed her from the temple of Athena . As a result, Athena helped cause shipwrecks and enormous loss of life to the Greeks on their return home.

Notes

A “Cassandra” is someone who constantly predicts bad news.

Example Sentences

Like an offsets Cassandra, he’s repeatedly issued warnings on how false savings threaten the integrity of offsets everywhere.

From ProPublica

Our lost narrator is both a hot mess and a sort of Cassandra, who sees humanity hurtling toward a scary future and ignoring all the signs of what needs to change.

From Outside Online

Cassandra said the organizers have already received a video from Warren Buffett the Money Guy, who’s done pretty well since attending Deal.

From Washington Post

He, too, has been having the fire Cassandra conversation for 30 years.

From ProPublica

Cassandra, whose hair has already begun to fall out from her court-mandated chemotherapy, could face a similar outcome.

From The Daily Beast

Context: When asked by her sister Cassandra if she wanted anything as she lay on her deathbed.

From The Daily Beast

Cassandra Jean: Listening to my mom assist my grandma in changing her Facebook profile pic.

From The Daily Beast

“Barack has become a kind of human Rorschach test,” his friend Cassandra Butts told Rolling Stone.

From The Daily Beast

I was deemed “a digital Cassandra” by David Pogue writing in The New York Times.

From The Daily Beast

I told Royal I didn't like it, it was too much like Cassandra.

From Project Gutenberg

This is the last letter which we have from Jane to Cassandra.

From Project Gutenberg

My dear Cassandra,—Shall you expect to hear from me on Wednesday or not?

From Project Gutenberg

I believe it was your first acquaintance with Cassandra and Jane.

From Project Gutenberg

There is Bertha's scarf that Cassandra tattled about—thank you, Bertha!

From Project Gutenberg