Definition

Proper noun 1. The Titaness of sight and the shining ether of the bright, blue sky: In Greek mythology, Theia is one of the twelve Titans, the children of Uranus (Sky) and Gaia (Earth). She is the goddess of sight (theia is also Greek for "goddess" or "divine") and the shining light of the clear sky. 2. The mother of celestial deities: She is the consort of her brother Hyperion and the mother of the major celestial deities Helios (the Sun), Selene (the Moon), and Eos (the Dawn).

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • In Hesiod's Theogony, Theia is listed among the first generation of Titans.
  • Theia, whose name means "divine," was worshipped as the mother of the light-bringing gods.
  • The poet Pindar refers to the sun as "the all-seeing eye of Theia."

Advanced Usage

• Astronomical Context: The name Theia was given to a hypothesized ancient planet in the early Solar System. According to the giant-impact hypothesis, a Mars-sized body named Theia is thought to have collided with the early Earth, leading to the formation of the Moon.
  • Example: Scientists believe the debris from the collision between Earth and Theia coalesced to form our Moon.

Variants and Related Words

• Thea: An alternate Latinized spelling of the name.
• Euryphaessa: An epithet sometimes associated with Theia, meaning "wide-shining."

Synonyms

• Titaness (a female Titan, but this is a category, not a direct synonym for the specific goddess Theia).

Notes on Different Meanings

• The primary and almost exclusive use of "Theia" is within the context of Greek mythology. Its use in astronomy (for the hypothetical planet) is a direct reference to this mythological figure. It is not used in general modern English vocabulary.

Noun

1. (Greek mythology) the Titaness who was mother of Helios and Selene and Eos in ancient mythology