myrmidon

noun

myr·​mi·​don ˈmər-mə-ˌdän 

-dən

1

capitalized : a member of a legendary Thessalian people who accompanied their king Achilles in the Trojan War

2

: a loyal follower

especially : a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously

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Myrmidon and Ants

The Myrmidons, legendary inhabitants of Thessaly in Greece, were known for their fierce devotion to Achilles, the king who led them in the Trojan War. Myrmex means "ant" in Greek, an image that evokes small and insignificant workers mindlessly fulfilling their duties. Whether the original Myrmidons were given their name for that reason is open to question. The "ant" association is strong, however. Some say the name is from a legendary ancestor who once had the form of an ant; others say the Myrmidons were actually transformed from ants. In any case, since the 1400s, we've employed myrmidon in its not-always-complimentary, ant-evoking, figurative sense.

Examples of myrmidon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In the pending merger of Sprint and T-Mobile, our myrmidons have a chance to do better. —Holman W. Jenkins, WSJ, 11 May 2018

OK, first of all, George III didn't have myrmidons. —Charles P. Pierce, Esquire, 20 Mar. 2014

Word History

Etymology

Middle English Mirmydon, Latin Myrmidon-, Myrmido, from Greek Myrmidōn

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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