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
This approach activates the Pygmalion effect, where employees tend to rise to the level of belief in them their manager communicates.
—
Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Consider, for example, Galatea, a statue of a woman sculpted by Pygmalion as art, then brought to life by Aphrodite.
—Sofia Giannuzzi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
This allows the Pygmalion effect to drive consistent growth.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Adding to the merriment is an accompanying music video inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
The designer also worked his signature sawtooth stripe into fabrics and created a wallpaper mural called Pygmalion, a grand, theatrical design with curtains, a classical temple, giant artichokes, Rococo dolphins, fennel, garlic bulbs and mollusk shells, strings of pearls and feathers.
—Samantha Conti, WWD, 25 June 2024
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
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Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Consider, for example, Galatea, a statue of a woman sculpted by Pygmalion as art, then brought to life by Aphrodite.
—Sofia Giannuzzi, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
This allows the Pygmalion effect to drive consistent growth.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
Adding to the merriment is an accompanying music video inspired by the Greek myth of Pygmalion.
—Jeff Benjamin, Forbes, 29 Nov. 2024
The designer also worked his signature sawtooth stripe into fabrics and created a wallpaper mural called Pygmalion, a grand, theatrical design with curtains, a classical temple, giant artichokes, Rococo dolphins, fennel, garlic bulbs and mollusk shells, strings of pearls and feathers.
—Samantha Conti, WWD, 25 June 2024
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
Cite this Entry
“Pygmalion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pygmalion. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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