lamia

[ ley-mee-uh ]

noun

, plural la·mi·as, la·mi·ae [ley, -mee-ee]

1. Classical Mythology. one of a class of fabulous monsters, commonly represented with the head and breast of a woman and the body of a serpent, said to allure youths and children in order to suck their blood.
2. a vampire; a female demon.
3. (initial capital letter, italics) a narrative poem (1819) by John Keats.

lamia

/ ˈleɪmɪə /

noun

1. classical myth one of a class of female monsters depicted with a snake's body and a woman's head and breasts
2. a vampire or sorceress

Word History and Origins

Origin of lamia¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin < Greek lámia a female man-eater

Word History and Origins

Origin of lamia¹

C14: via Latin from Greek Lamia

Example Sentences

But Nicander the Colophonian, in his essay on Dialects, says that the carcharias is also called the lamias and the squill.

From Project Gutenberg

The Seventy, in Isaiah, translate the Hebrew lilith by lamia.

From Project Gutenberg

There, on one of the broadest tombstones she saw sitting a circle of lamias.

From Project Gutenberg

Why," returned Calandrino, "'tis not to go farther, but there is a damsel below, fairer than a lamia, and so mightily in love with me that 'twould astonish thee.

From Project Gutenberg

The word lamiae signified, walking spirits, which, according to the vulgar notion, devoured men; this makes the spirit of the sarcasm against the tax-gatherers.

From Project Gutenberg