Boreas
/'bɔriæs/
Definition
Proper noun:
- (Greek mythology) The god personifying the north wind: In classical mythology, Boreas is the deity who represents and controls the cold north wind. He is often depicted as a powerful, bearded, winged figure wrapped in a cloak.
Noun:
- A north wind: A wind that originates from and blows from the north. This usage is poetic or literary.
Examples of Usage
Proper noun:
- In the myth, Boreas carried off the Athenian princess Oreithyia. (Here, 'Boreas' refers specifically to the mythological god.)
- The ancient Greeks feared the wrath of Boreas, the bringer of winter storms.
Noun:
- A bitter boreas swept down from the Arctic, chilling the coast. (Here, 'boreas' is used as a poetic term for a north wind.)
- The sailors dreaded the coming of the fierce boreas.
Advanced Usage
- Personification: The word is a classic example of personification, where a natural force (the north wind) is given a divine identity and character.
- Literary/poetic term: In modern English, using "boreas" to mean a north wind is a deliberate stylistic choice to evoke a classical, formal, or poetic tone. It is not used in everyday weather reports.
Variants and Related Words
- Boreal (adj): Pertaining to the north wind or northern regions.
- The boreal forest stretches across northern Canada.
- Hyperborean (adj/n): (Literary) Of or relating to the extreme north; an inhabitant of the far north.
Synonyms
- North wind: The standard, non-poetic term.
- Norther: A strong cold wind from the north, especially in the southern US and the Gulf of Mexico.
- Tramontane: (Literary) A cold wind from beyond the mountains; often from the north.
Related Phrases and Idioms
- "Boreas's breath": A poetic phrase meaning the cold air or wind from the north.
- They shivered in Boreas's breath as they climbed the mountain.
Noun
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(Greek mythology) the god who personified the north wind
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Boreas was pictured as bearded and powerful and winged and draped against the cold
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a wind that blows from the north