Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun plural A group of usually three goddesses, often described as benevolent fertility deities but identified in some traditions with the Furies.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In classical mythology, the Erinyes or Furies: a euphemistic name. See Erinys and fury.
  • Same as Eumenidæ.
  • A group of lepidopterous insects.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun plural (Class. Myth.) A euphemistic name for the Furies of Erinyes.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (classical mythology) the hideous snake-haired monsters (usually three in number) who pursued unpunished criminals

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Greek eumenides (theai), gracious (goddesses), euphemism for the Furies, from eumenē, good-spirited : eu-, eu- + menos, spirit, disposition; see men- in Indo-European roots.]

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