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lemures

[lem-yuh-reez; Latin lem-oo-res]
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plural noun Roman Religion.
  1. the ghosts of the dead of a family, considered as troublesome unless exorcised or propitiated; larvae.
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Origin of lemures

From Latin, dating back to 1545–55; see origin at lemur
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for lemures

Historical Examples

  • If neglected they became spiteful, and were then known as Lemures.

    The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries

    W. Y. Evans Wentz

  • I had read of banshees, lemures and leprechauns; they were the ghosts and the fairies of ignorance but they were not like this.

    The Blind Spot

    Austin Hall

  • There is, however, some confusion even among the ancients themselves, as to the respective qualities of the larvæ and lemures.

    The Dance of Death

    Francis Douce

  • These ideas are older than our science, for the name, Lemures, given them means "ghosts."

  • For it was uncertain whether the paternal Manes were good spirits, Lares, or evil spirits, and Lemures.

    Ten Great Religions

    James Freeman Clarke

British Dictionary definitions for lemures

lemures

pl n
  1. Roman myth the spirits of the dead
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Word Origin

Latin: see lemur
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012