herostratic fame

English

WOTD – 21 July 2023

Etymology

Herostratic is derived from Herostratus (learned borrowing from Latin Hērostratus, from Ancient Greek Ἡρόστρατος (Hēróstratos) + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns)). Herostratus (died c. 356 B.C.E.) was a Greek arsonist who sought fame by destroying the second Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (now in Izmir Province, Turkey), according to tradition by setting fire to it on 21 July 356 B.C.E., the birth date of Alexander the Great.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌhɪəɹəʊˌstɹætɪk ˈfeɪm/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌhɪɹoʊˌstɹætɪk ˈfeɪm/
• Rhymes: -eɪm
• Hyphenation: he‧ro‧strat‧ic fame

Noun

herostratic fame (uncountable)

1. Fame (or infamy) won through crime, destruction, or some other misdeed.

Alternative forms

• Herostratic fame

Translations

fame (or infamy) won through crime, destruction, or some other misdeed

• Finnish: Herostratuksen maine
• Georgian: ჰეროსტრატეს დიდება (herosṭraṭes dideba)
• German: herostratischer Ruhm m
• Macedonian: херостратска слава f (herostratska slava)
• Russian: геростра́това сла́ва f (gerostrátova sláva), ла́вры Геростра́та m pl (lávry Gerostráta)

Further reading

• Herostratus on Wikipedia.Wikipedia