Daphne (Noun)
Meaning 1
Any of several ornamental shrubs with shiny mostly evergreen leaves and clusters of small bell-shaped flowers.
Classification
Nouns denoting plants.
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
Meaning 2
(Greek mythology) a nymph who was transformed into a laurel tree to escape the amorous Apollo.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- Daphne was transformed into a laurel tree by the gods to escape Apollo's relentless pursuit.
- According to Greek mythology, Daphne is often depicted as a symbol of transformative power and the desire for autonomy.
- In Metamorphoses, Ovid explores the legend of Daphne as she flees from Apollo's pursuit and is transformed into a laurel tree.
- Daphne has become an enduring symbol of femininity and resistance in Western cultural imagination, reflecting both her own experiences and the society that created her myth.
- In her transformation into a laurel tree, Daphne gains a measure of control and agency over her own fate, turning her former vulnerability into a symbol of strength.