alastor

[uh-las-ter, ‐tawr]

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter) an avenging spirit or deity frequently evoked in Greek tragedy; a male Nemesis.

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for alastor

Contemporary Examples of alastor

He played Prof. Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody in three of the films.
Fat, Ugly, and Famous
Nicole LaPorte
July 27, 2011

Historical Examples of alastor

Alastor: Ay, ay, but he has a long time been talking to the deaf.
The World's Greatest Books -- Vol XX -- Miscellaneous Literature and Index
Various
The following quotation is a fair specimen of the blank verse of Alastor.
Shelley
John Addington Symonds
I believe it is nearly as beautiful as the cavern in Shelley's 'Alastor.'
Mount Royal, Volume 1 of 3
Mary Elizabeth Braddon
It is certain that Keats read and was impressed by Alastor: doubtless he also read the Hymn.
Life of John Keats
Sidney Colvin
The first longer poem of Shelley which can be called mature was Alastor.
Oxford Lectures on Poetry
Andrew 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."