pythoness
Americannoun
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a woman believed to be possessed by a soothsaying spirit, as the priestess of Apollo at Delphi.
-
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.
She looked like a mad thing—like a crazed pythoness.
From The Unseen Bridgegroom or, Wedded For a Week by May Agnes Fleming
Liszt's attitude at the piano, like that of a pythoness, has been remarked again and again.
From Franz Liszt by James Huneker
The pythoness, or priestess of Apollo, at his approach, hailed him as king of Corinth.
From Historic Tales, vol 10 (of 15) The Romance of Reality by Charles Morris
Hurriedly withdrawing her gaze from her cousin, she lifted her face to the jury, and I saw a gleam pass over it which brought back my early fancy of the pythoness.
From The Leavenworth Case by Anna Katharine Green
In the enigmatic heart of its impenetrable iris cold fire lived, cold passionless flames leaped and died and leaped again like the sorcerous fire of a pythoness.
From The Bronze Bell by Louis Joseph Vance
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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.
