nepenthe
Americannoun
-
a drug or drink, or the plant yielding it, mentioned by ancient writers as having the power to bring forgetfulness of sorrow or trouble.
-
anything inducing a pleasurable sensation of forgetfulness, especially of sorrow or trouble.
noun
-
a drug, or the plant providing it, that ancient writers referred to as a means of forgetting grief or trouble
-
anything that produces sleep, forgetfulness, or pleasurable dreaminess
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nepenthe
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Latin nēpenthes, from Greek nēpenthés “herb for soothing,” noun use of neuter of nēpenthḗs “banishing pain,” equivalent to nē- “un-” (negative prefix) + pénth(os) “grief, pain, sorrow” + -ēs adjective suffix
Explanation
Nepenthe is a magical potion or plant from ancient mythology said to have the power to make people forget their sorrows. Today, the word is often used metaphorically for anything that provides relief or escape from grief or troubles. The word nepenthe comes from the Greek roots nē-, meaning "not," and penthos, meaning "grief." It appears in Homer's Odyssey, where Helen of Troy gives the potion to her guests so they will forget their grief over lost soldiers in the Trojan War. Edgar Allan Poe referred to it in his famous poem The Raven, in the line "Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!" Over time, the word has come to describe anything — e.g., music, writing, nature, or sleep — that helps relieve sorrow or emotional pain.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And Nepenthe and the Henry Miller Memorial Library are just down the road.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2024
Normally more than 1,000 visitors a day are taking in the view and having a meal at the popular roadside destination Nepenthe, according to its general manager, Kirk Gafill.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2024
Kirk Gafill is the owner of Nepenthe, a cliffside restaurant in the enclave just south of the bridge where businesses depend on tourists from points north.
From New York Times • Oct. 13, 2017
“They are very blissed out,” said Erin Gafill, whose family owns the nearby Nepenthe restaurant.
From The Guardian • Jun. 19, 2017
Incidentally, the book contains in its nine hundred pages all that could possibly interest a contemporary student about the history and natural products of Nepenthe.
From South Wind by Douglas, Norman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
