alastor
[uh-las-ter, ‐tawr]
- (sometimes initial capital letter) an avenging spirit or deity frequently evoked in Greek tragedy; a male Nemesis.
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Origin of alastor
1600–10; from Greek alástōr “avenging deity,” from álastos “unforgotten, unforgiven”
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for alastor
Contemporary Examples
He played Prof. Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody in three of the films.
Historical Examples
Alastor: Ay, ay, but he has a long time been talking to the deaf.
The following quotation is a fair specimen of the blank verse of Alastor.
ShelleyJohn Addington Symonds
I believe it is nearly as beautiful as the cavern in Shelley's 'Alastor.'
Mount Royal, Volume 1 of 3Mary Elizabeth Braddon
It is certain that Keats read and was impressed by Alastor: doubtless he also read the Hymn.
Life of John KeatsSidney Colvin
The first longer poem of Shelley which can be called mature was Alastor.
Oxford Lectures on PoetryAndrew Cecil Bradley
Word Origin and History for alastor
Alastor
in Greek tradition, son of Neleus, brother of Nestor, slain by Herakles. The name is perhaps literally "not to forget," from privative prefix a- "not" + root of lathein "to forget" (see Lethe), hence its use figuratively in sense of "an avenging spirit." Or else it might be connected with alaomai "to wander, roam," figuratively "to be distraught."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper