Zeus

From Middle Dutch zeus, from Ancient Greek Ζεύς (Zeús).

(Greek mythology) Zeus (Supreme ruler of all Greek gods, husband to Hera)


Pluto

From Middle Dutch Pluto, ultimately from Latin Plūtō, from Ancient Greek Πλούτων (Ploútōn).

(Greco-Roman mythology) Pluto (god of the underworld)


Europa

From Middle Dutch europa, from Latin Eurōpa, from Ancient Greek Εὐρώπᾱ (Eurṓpā), Doric form of Εὐρώπη (Eurṓpē).

(Greek mythology) a Phoenician princess abducted to Crete by Zeus


satyr

nl-noun

satyr m (plural satyrs, diminutive satyrtje n)

satyrs (plural)
satyrtje (diminutive neuter)

Ultimately from Latin satyrus, from Ancient Greek σάτυρος (sáturos).

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) satyr, faun


Andromeda

Borrowed from Latin Andromeda, from Ancient Greek Ἀνδρομέδα (Androméda).


Atlas

Borrowed from Latin Atlas, from Ancient Greek Ἄτλας (Átlas).

(Greek mythology) Atlas (mythological giant)


Iris

Borrowed from Latin Iris or Ancient Greek Ἶρις (Îris).

(Greek mythology) Iris (divine messenger, goddess of rainbows)


Narcissus

Borrowed from Latin Narcissus, from Ancient Greek Νάρκισσος (Nárkissos).


nectar

Coordinate term: ambrozijn

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) nectar, beverage drunk by the Olympians


hel

hel f (plural hellen, diminutive helletje n)

hellen (plural)
helletje (diminutive neuter)

Negerhollands: hel, hei

From Middle Dutch helle, from Old Dutch hella, from Proto-West Germanic *hallju, from Proto-Germanic *haljō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide, conceal”).

der

Ik hoop dat je zal branden in de hel.

(religion, mythology) hell, an infernal afterlife


Cepheus

Borrowed from Latin Cēpheus, from Ancient Greek Κηφεύς (Kēpheús).


dwerg

nl-noun

dwerg m (plural dwergen, diminutive dwergje n, feminine dwergin)

dwergen (plural)
dwergje (diminutive neuter)
dwergin (feminine)

Afrikaans: dwerg

From Middle Dutch dwerch, from Old Dutch *dwerg, from Proto-West Germanic *dwerg, from Proto-Germanic *dwergaz.
Compare West Frisian dwerch, German Zwerg, English dwarf, Danish dværg.

(fiction, folklore, fantasy, mythology) dwarf (small folkloristic humanoid)


Eridanus

(Greek mythology) Eridanus (mythical river)


zeepaard

zeepaard n (plural zeepaarden, diminutive zeepaardje n)

zeepaarden (plural)
zeepaardje (diminutive neuter)

Afrikaans: seeperd

From Middle Dutch seepaert. Equivalent to zee + paard.


sirene

sirene f (plural sirenen or sirenes, diminutive sirenetje n)

sirenen (plural)
sirenes (plural)
sirenetje (diminutive neuter)

From Middle Dutch sirena, serene, from Old French sereine, from Late Latin sirēna, Latin Sīrēn, from Ancient Greek Σειρήν (Seirḗn). The sense “warning device” derives from French sirène.

(Greek mythology) a siren, a dangerous nymph of Greek mythology, luring passers-by using an irresistible song


maagd

maagd f (plural maagden, diminutive maagdje n or maagdelijn n or maagdeken n)

maagden (plural)
maagdje (diminutive neuter)
maagdelijn (diminutive neuter)
maagdeken (diminutive neuter)

Afrikaans: maagd

Negerhollands: magd, maegt

→ West Frisian: maagd

From Middle Dutch māget, from Old Dutch *magath, from Proto-Germanic *magaþs. Doublet of meid.

(astrology) a Virgo; someone born with the star sign Virgo


Pandora

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Πανδώρα (Pandṓra).


halfgod

halfgod m (plural halfgoden, diminutive halfgodje n)

halfgoden (plural)
halfgodje (diminutive neuter)

(Greek mythology) hero of semi-divine extraction

demigod, half-god
hero of semi-divine extraction


sterrenbeeld

sterrenbeeld n (plural sterrenbeelden, diminutive sterrenbeeldje n)

sterrenbeelden (plural)
sterrenbeeldje (diminutive neuter)

Compound of ster (“star”) + -en- + beeld (“image, sign, statue”).


paardmens

nl-noun

paardmens m (plural paardmensen, diminutive paardmensje n)

paardmensen (plural)
paardmensje (diminutive neuter)

(Greek mythology, fantasy) centaur or (less commonly) another fictional human–horse hybrid


Cocytus

Borrowed from Latin Cōcȳtus, from Ancient Greek Κωκυτός (Kōkutós).

(Greek mythology) Cocytus (river in Hades)


nikker

nikker m (plural nikkers, diminutive nikkertje n)

nikkers (plural)
nikkertje (diminutive neuter)

From Middle Dutch nicker (“nix, nixie; demon”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *nikwus, *nikwis (“nix, water-sprite”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *neygʷ- (“to wash”).

inh

Het volk in de nabijheid der hooge bergmeren gelooft nog aan allerlei kobolden, elfen, nikkers, water- en berggeesten.

1873, R. R. Rijkens, De reiziger. Aardrijkskundige beschrijvingen en schilderingen. Leesboek voor de hoogste klasse der lagereschool, 3rd revised edition, J. B. Wolters, page 94:

The people in the vicinity of the high mountain lakes still believe in all kinds of kobolds, elves, necks, water sprites and mountain spirits.

1924, Lodewijk Opdebeek, "Peters Kind" (part 6, "Muziek"), De Vlaamsche Gids, page 289.
Hij vermaande hem zoetjes, sprak van Nikker en Bloedkaros, maar Fikske liet zich niet afbangen, 't kon hem allemaal niet schelen: het manneke, daar diep beneden, trok hem te veel aan.

He gently reprimanded him, talked about the nixie and the child-butchering carriage, but Fikske wouldn't let himself get scared of it, he couldn't care less about it all: the little man, down below there, attracted him far too much for that.

(mythology, dated, now likely to be confused with the ethnic slur) a water spirit, especially one who lures (young) people to drown; a neck, nix, nixie


Woen

A learned back-formation from the 18th or 19th century from woensdag, the first element of which is a syncopic variation through d-weakening (compare broer and broeder) of Middle Dutch *Woeden, which may have existed as simplex or only as an element in compounds, which in turn derived from Old Dutch Wuodan (“Woden”), from Proto-West Germanic *Wōdan, from Proto-Germanic *Wōdanaz. Related to Dutch woeden (“to rage”), woede (“anger”) and woedend (“angry”). Cognate with English Woden, German Wotan, Icelandic Óðinn, Faroese Óðin, and Norwegian Nynorsk, Danish, and Swedish Oden.

cog

Een van die afgoden, van hun eigen maaksel, was Woen, de stormwind, van waar wy nog het heidensch woord Woens-dag en Woens-wagen (...) bewaard hebben. (Gezelle, 1864)

One of their idols, of their own creation, was Woden, the stormwind, whence we still have conserved the heathen word Wednesday and Woden's carriage (...)

Die jonge kerel groeit in zijne verbeelding tot een Woen die op een gevleugeld ros door de lucht rijdt. (Stijn Streuvels, 1926)

That young man is growing in his imagination into a Woden who rides through the skies on a winged horse.

The god Woden is hence named after the exalted ecstasy our heathen forefathers imagined when they thought of him.

De god Woen is dus genoemd naar de opperste vervoering die onze heidense voorouders zich bij hem voorstelden.

(Germanic mythology and paganism, rare) Woden/Odin, a major Germanic god often described as chief of the pantheon.


nimf

nl-noun

nimf f (plural nimfen, diminutive nimfje n)

nimfen (plural)
nimfje (diminutive neuter)

From Middle Dutch nymphe. Borrowed from Old or Middle French, from Latin nympha, borrowed from Ancient Greek νύμφη (númphē), of uncertain origin.

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) nymph, female lesser divinity of nature


bergnimf

bergnimf f (plural bergnimfen, diminutive bergnimfje n)

bergnimfen (plural)
bergnimfje (diminutive neuter)

Compound of berg (“mountain”) + nimf (“nymph”).


ambrozijn

Ultimately from Latin ambrosia, borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀμβροσία (ambrosía).

(Greek mythology, Roman mythology) ambrosia (divine sustenance)


hemelbestormer

hemelbestormer m (plural hemelbestormers, diminutive hemelbestormertje n)

hemelbestormers (plural)
hemelbestormertje (diminutive neuter)

Compound of hemel (“heaven”) + bestormer (“stormer, one who charges/attacks”). Possibly a calque of German Himmelstürmer, which already appears in the 16th century.

compound

1614, Daniël Heinsius, "Lof-sanck van Bacchvs", in L. Ph. Rank, J. D. P. Warners & F. L. Zwaan (eds.), Bacchus en Christus. Twee lofzangen van Daniel Heinsius, Tjeenk Willink (1965, 1st ed.), page 152, footnote to line 418.
5. Mimas] Een vande hemelbestormers oft reusen, by Horatius ende andere gemelt.

5. Mimas: One of the Titans or giants, mentioned in Horace and others.


oervloed

(mythology, cosmogony, creation stories) primordial waters, primordial deep

cosmogony; creation stories; cosmogony; creation stories


aardslang

nl-noun

aardslang f (plural aardslangen, diminutive aardslangetje n)

aardslangen (plural)
aardslangetje (diminutive neuter)

(historical, mythology) a snake that represents earth, as opposed to other parts or elements of the cosmos


menspaard

From mens (“human, person”) + paard (“horse”).


harpij

Afrikaans: harpy

From Middle Dutch harpie, arpie, from Old French harpie, from Latin harpyia, from Ancient Greek ἅρπυια (hárpuia).

(Greek mythology) harpy (hybrid of a woman and a bird of prey)


gorgoon

nl-noun

gorgoon f (plural gorgonen, diminutive gorgoontje n)

gorgonen (plural)
gorgoontje (diminutive neuter)

From Middle Dutch gorgone, from Latin Gorgon, from Ancient Greek Γοργώ (Gorgṓ).

(Greek mythology) gorgon (female monster with snakes on her head)


ijsreus

Compound of ijs (“ice”) + reus (“giant”).

(mythology) ice giant, frost giant (mythological creature)


rijpreus

Compound of rijp (“hoarfrost”) + reus (“giant”), likely modelled on Old Norse hrímþurs.


rijmreus

Compound of rijm (“rime, hoarfrost”) + reus (“giant”), likely modelled on Old Norse hrímþurs.

compound

(mythology, rare, chiefly in the plural) ice giant, frost giant


vorstreus

Compound of vorst (“frost”) + reus (“giant”).


chtonisch

chtonisch (adverbial positive predicative)
chtonische (feminine indefinite masculine positive singular)
chtonisch (indefinite neuter positive singular)
chtonische (indefinite plural positive)
chtonische (definite positive)
chtonisch (partitive positive)

Ultimately from Ancient Greek χθών (khthṓn).


cycloop

nl-noun

cycloop m (plural cyclopen, diminutive cycloopje n)

cyclopen (plural)
cycloopje (diminutive neuter)

From Middle Dutch ciclope, from Old French cyclope, from Latin cyclōps, from Ancient Greek Κύκλωψ (Kúklōps).

(Greek mythology) cyclops (one-eyed giant)


minotaurus

minotaurus m (plural minotaurussen or minotauri)

minotaurussen (plural)
minotauri (plural)

Inherited from Middle Dutch minotaurus, from Latin minōtaurus, from Ancient Greek Μινώταυρος (Minṓtauros). Equivalent to common-noun use of Minotaurus.


Gouden Eeuw

In reference to the mythological Golden Age of classical antiquity.

(historical, mythology) the mythological Golden Age of classical antiquity, under the rule of Saturn as chief deity


godenwereld

(religion, mythology) a pantheon, a group of gods who are associated with each other

(religion, mythology) an abode of the gods, a realm of the gods


godenberg

(religion, mythology) a mountain where gods reside


zeedraak

zeedraak m (plural zeedraken, diminutive zeedraakje n)

zeedraken (plural)
zeedraakje (diminutive neuter)

(mythology, fantasy) a sea dragon, a marine dragon


hoorn des overvloeds

(Greek mythology) cornucopia (a goat's horn endlessly overflowing with fruit, flowers and grain; or full of whatever its owner wanted)


Atreïde

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀτρείδης (Atreídēs).