Pygmalion
noun
Pyg·ma·lion
pig-ˈmāl-yən 
-ˈmā-lē-ən
: a king of Cyprus who makes a female figure of ivory that is brought to life for him by Aphrodite
Examples of Pygmalion in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Love is one in Pygmalion when the cuties Rachel Leigh Cook and Freddie Prince Jr. stop being polite and start getting real.
—
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Like Pygmalion, Pelletier carved her second great love into being.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2023
Note the Pygmalion effect, by which others’ expectations of a person affect that person’s performance, in a self-fulfilling prophecy for success—or failure.
—Katherine Manuel, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023
A lot of things would have turned out different if Capote had spent 1967 writing Answered Prayers instead of playing Pygmalion.
—Mark Peikert, Town & Country, 28 Jan. 2022
Playwright George Bernard Shaw, who won a Best Screenplay Oscar for the adaptation of his play Pygmalion in 1938, was awarded his Nobel Prize in 1925, long before the movie.
—Jeva Lange, The Week, 7 Oct. 2021
By the way, both movies are actually remakes, because the story is based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.
—Lia Beck, refinery29.com, 28 Aug. 2021
Rex, Zulu, Bacchus, Hermes, Thoth, King Arthur, Argus, Alla, Morpheus, Iris, Pygmalion, Mid-City, Tucks, Femme Fatale, Babylon, Druids and Carrollton are already in the lineup.
—Doug MacCash | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 22 Jan. 2021
Meanwhile, over the past five decades, scores of scientists inspired by Rosenthal have tracked Pygmalion effects outside of educational settings.
—Katherine Ellison, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
See More
Angelique Jackson, Variety, 12 May 2023
Like Pygmalion, Pelletier carved her second great love into being.
—Maria Aspan, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2023
Note the Pygmalion effect, by which others’ expectations of a person affect that person’s performance, in a self-fulfilling prophecy for success—or failure.
—Katherine Manuel, Forbes, 16 Mar. 2023
A lot of things would have turned out different if Capote had spent 1967 writing Answered Prayers instead of playing Pygmalion.
—Mark Peikert, Town & Country, 28 Jan. 2022
Playwright George Bernard Shaw, who won a Best Screenplay Oscar for the adaptation of his play Pygmalion in 1938, was awarded his Nobel Prize in 1925, long before the movie.
—Jeva Lange, The Week, 7 Oct. 2021
By the way, both movies are actually remakes, because the story is based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.
—Lia Beck, refinery29.com, 28 Aug. 2021
Rex, Zulu, Bacchus, Hermes, Thoth, King Arthur, Argus, Alla, Morpheus, Iris, Pygmalion, Mid-City, Tucks, Femme Fatale, Babylon, Druids and Carrollton are already in the lineup.
—Doug MacCash | Staff Writer, NOLA.com, 22 Jan. 2021
Meanwhile, over the past five decades, scores of scientists inspired by Rosenthal have tracked Pygmalion effects outside of educational settings.
—Katherine Ellison, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2015
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Pygmalion.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Latin, from Greek Pygmaliōn
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of Pygmalion was
in the 14th century
Dictionary Entries Near Pygmalion
Cite this Entry
“Pygmalion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pygmalion. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on Pygmalion
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Pygmalion
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