pythoness
Americannoun
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a woman believed to be possessed by a soothsaying spirit, as the priestess of Apollo at Delphi.
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a woman who practices divination.
noun
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a woman, such as Apollo's priestess at Delphi, believed to be possessed by an oracular spirit
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a female soothsayer
Gender
See -ess.
Etymology
Origin of pythoness
1325–75; python 2 + -ess; replacing Middle English phytonesse < Middle French
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.
Dora stood in the center of the room like an enraged pythoness, her eyes blazing with passion.
From The Man Between, an International Romance by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr
The scene in the glen, the image of the unprepossessing and mysterious pythoness, and the substance and manner of the sinister warning she communicated, were indeed fixed in her memory ineffaceably.
From The International Monthly, Vol. II, No. I December 1, 1850 by Various
Bess and he were on amiable terms, and he was secretly assured that the blonde pythoness approved him.
From The President A novel by Alfred Henry Lewis
And the young lady, after smilingly chiding her for her simple proceeding, taught her to smile also at the ill words of the pythoness.
From Trevethlan: (Vol 2 of 3) A Cornish Story. by William Davy Watson
One morning after Senator Hanway had departed, Dorothy took Richard across to meet the blonde pythoness.
From The President A novel by Alfred Henry Lewis
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
