maenad

noun

mae·​nad ˈmē-ˌnad How to pronounce maenad (audio)
1
2
: an unnaturally excited or distraught woman
maenadic adjective

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Manson’s maenads — dirty, barefoot examples of Dionysian abandon — provide the most fascinating sequences of QT’s career. Armond White, National Review, 26 July 2019 All across its 375 square feet swarm birds, masks and maenads—the besotted followers of the god Dionysus. Joshua Levine, Smithsonian, 24 May 2018 The libretto from the premiere has Orpheus being torn to pieces by maenads, the female devotees of Bacchus whose bloodthirsty rampages figure in both the mythology and evidently the historical truth of ancient Greece. Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle, 21 Apr. 2018 An actor’s dance becomes a slaughter; a bathing nymph turns out to be one of a cluster of handless maenads. Douglas Wolk, New York Times, 1 June 2016 Often faces turned up to address the sky, as with the maenads and nymphs whose shapes in Greek sculpture did so much to inspire Duncan. Alastair Macaulay, New York Times, 20 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'maenad.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Latin maenad-, maenas, from Greek mainad-, mainas, from mainesthai to be mad; akin to Greek menos spirit — more at mind

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of maenad was in 1579

Dictionary Entries Near maenad

Cite this Entry

“Maenad.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maenad. Accessed 22 Mar. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on maenad

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!


A Good Old-Fashioned Quiz

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can with using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.

Can you make 12 words with 7 letters?

PLAY