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In Greek mythology, Eirene was one of the Horae, the goddesses of the seasons and natural order; in the Iliad the Horae are the custodians of the gates of Olympus. According to the Greek poet Hesiod, the Horae were the daughters of Zeus and a Titaness named Themis, and their names indicate their function and relation to human life. Eirene was the goddess of peace. Her name is also the Greek word for "peace," and it gave rise to irenic and other peaceable terms including irenics (a theological term for advocacy of Christian unity), Irena (the genus name of two species of birds found in southern Asia and the Philippines), and the name Irene.
Examples of irenic in a Sentence
Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN, 27 Feb. 2022
In Kennedy’s postwar America, Catholics were viewed more favorably, thanks partly to the irenic pontificate of John XXIII.
—The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 Apr. 2021
Despite his talk of unity and his irenic tone, gratitude hasn’t been a Biden strong suit.
—Rich Lowry, National Review, 16 Mar. 2021
But what, specifically, do these conservatives want, besides a sense of thrill-in-combat that French’s irenic style denies them?
—Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 7 June 2019
Germany has enjoyed a long summer living well and gladly under Mrs Merkel’s irenic inaction.
—The Economist, 9 Sep. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Irenic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irenic. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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