eidolon

See also eidôlon

English

WOTD – 22 February 2007    

Alternative forms

• eidôlon

Etymology

From Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eidōlon, “figure, representation”), from εἶδος (eidos, “sight”), from εἴδω (eidō, “I see”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ʌɪˈdəʊlən/
• (US) IPA: /aɪˈdoʊlɑn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

eidolon (plural eidola or eidolons)

1. An image or representation of an idea; a representation of an ideal form; an apparition of some actual or imaginary entity, or of some aspect of reality.
   • 1936, Henry Miller, Black Spring:

     As a species it is extinct; as an eidolon it retains its corporeality – but only if maintained in a state of equipoise.

   • 1974, Lawrence Durrell, Monsieur, Faber & Faber 1992, p. 21:

     It was not hard to forge her image, her "eidolon", in the grey gloom of the little church.

   • 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 697:

     Kit was sitting up staring into the dark at this eidolon, inelegantly turned out contrary to a whole raft of public-decency statutes, which had come monitory and breathing in to violate Kit's insomnia.

2. A phantom, a ghost or elusive entity.

Translations

a representation of an ideal form

• Bulgarian: идеализиран образ (bg) (idealiziran obraz) m
• Greek:

  Ancient: εἴδωλον (eidōlon) n

  Modern: είδωλο (el) (eidolo) n

a ghost or elusive entity

• Bulgarian: призрак (bg) (prizrak) m, привидение (bg) (prividenie) n

• Greek: είδωλο (el) (eidolo) n