The name of a huge river and rainforest region in South America. It also refers to a tall, strong woman, based on figures from Greek mythology.
From Greek *Amazōn*, the name of a legendary race of warrior women. The river in South America was named *Amazonas* by Spanish explorers, possibly after a battle with local tribes they compared to the mythical Amazons.
The Amazon River is named after mythical warrior women, not the other way around. Modern companies using “Amazon” borrow power from both the massive river system and the fierce female fighters. One word now carries geography, myth, and global business all at once.
'Amazon' originates from Greek mythology, referring to a legendary group of warrior women, and has been used both to celebrate and to stereotype strong or tall women. In modern times it is also a major corporate brand name, which can overshadow the older gendered sense.
When using the mythological sense, avoid using 'amazon' to mock or other women’s bodies or strength; prefer neutral terms for physical ability.
["warrior woman (mythological context)","strong athlete","tall woman"]
In historical or literary discussions, note how the 'Amazon' myth has been used both to admire and to police women’s physical power and autonomy.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.