Orphic

[ awr-fik ]

/ ˈɔr fɪk /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for Orphic on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to Orpheus.

resembling the music attributed to Orpheus; entrancing.

pertaining to a religious or philosophical school maintaining a form of the cult of Dionysus, or Bacchus, ascribed to Orpheus as founder: Orphic mysteries.

(often lowercase) mystic; oracular.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of Orphic

1670–80; <Greek Orphikós (cognate with Latin Orphicus), equivalent to Orph(eús) Orpheus + -ikos-ic

OTHER WORDS FROM Orphic

Or·phi·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby Orphic

orphans' court, orpharion, Orphean, Orpheus, Orpheus and Eurydice, Orphic, Orphism, orphrey, orpiment, orpine, Orpington

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Orphic in a sentence

It will now be profitable if we examine the story of Sanchoniathon and the statements of the Orphic Hymns.
Ancient Faiths And Modern|Thomas Inman
We may suppose that the Orphic poems were collected, edited and probably interpolated, in this dark hour of Greece.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1|Andrew Lang
On the whole, however, our Orphic authorities can never be quoted with much satisfaction.
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1|Andrew Lang
The authors of the Orphic cosmogony appear to have begun with some remarks on Time ((Greek text omitted)).
Myth, Ritual, and Religion, Vol. 1|Andrew Lang

And the whole account is symbolical, we think, consciously symbolical; it has an Orphic tinge, hinting of mystic rites.
Homer's Odyssey|Denton J. Snider

British Dictionary definitions for Orphic

Orphic

/ (ˈɔːfɪk) /

adjective

of or relating to Orpheus or Orphism

(sometimes not capital) mystical or occult

Derived forms of Orphic

Orphically, adverb

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