English

Mithras

Proper noun

Mithras

1. A Roman god, cult figure of the 2nd-4th century Roman mystery religion known as the "Mysteries of Mithras" (now colloquially Mithraism)

Latin

Etymology

Probably via Ancient Greek Μίθρας ‎(Míthras), via some unattested Old Iranian intermediary, ultimately from vocative Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀 ‎(Miθra) (cf. Mithra).

Until the 1970s, the character of Roman Mithras was widely assumed to be a continuation of that of Iranian Mithra (and thus also of Indo-Iranian *mitra). This notion is no longer followed today, and it is generally agreed that borrowing (e.g. of the name) does not constitute continuation.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈmitʰ.raːs/

Proper noun

Mithrās m ‎(genitive Mithrae); first declension

1. A Roman god, cult figure of the 2nd-4th century Roman mystery religion known as the "Mysteries of Mithras" (now colloquially Mithraism)

References

• Mithras in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “Mithras”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.