Definition

Noun 1. The priestess of Apollo at Delphi: In Greek mythology, Pythia was the title given to the high priestess of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. She served as the oracle, believed to be a conduit for the prophecies of the god Apollo.

Examples of Usage

• The ancient Greeks would travel to Delphi to consult the Pythia for guidance.
• According to legend, the Pythia would deliver her prophecies while in a trance-like state.
• Historians study the methods and influence of the Pythia in classical antiquity.

Advanced Usage

• The Pythia: The term is almost always used with the definite article "the" when referring to the specific oracle or the office itself.
  • The words of the Pythia were often cryptic and required interpretation by priests.

Variants and Related Words

• Pythian (adjective): Of or relating to Delphi, its oracle, or the games held there.
  • The Pythian Games were one of the four Panhellenic Games of ancient Greece.
• Oracle of Delphi: A common synonymous phrase for the Pythia or the site itself.
• Sibyl: A general term for a prophetess or female oracle in the ancient world, of which the Pythia was the most famous.

Synonyms

• Oracle
• Prophetess
• Seer

Related Idioms and Phrases

• To be as cryptic as the Pythia: Used to describe a statement or answer that is deliberately ambiguous or difficult to understand.
  • His explanation for the delay was as cryptic as the Pythia.

Noun

1. (Greek mythology) the priestess of Apollo at Delphi who transmitted the oracles