Hermokopid

/ˌhɛr.moʊˈkoʊ.pɪd/ noun

Definition

One of the people accused of mutilating the herms (stone statues of Hermes) in ancient Athens in 415 BCE.

Etymology

Greek hermokopidai, from herma (herm) and koptein (to strike/cut), describing those who desecrated Hermes statues during a famous scandal.

Kelly Says

This scandal in ancient Athens was so huge that it actually delayed a military expedition—one vandalism incident nearly changed the course of the Peloponnesian War!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.