What does amazon mean?
An amazon, in its original and dominant sense, is one of a legendary race of fierce female warriors inhabiting Greek mythology. Classical writers placed the Amazons around the Black Sea and on the fringes of the known world, where they lived apart from men, fought on horseback with bows and spears, and appeared throughout Greek epic and art — most famously in the labours of Heracles and the adventures of Theseus and Achilles. By the Renaissance and into the modern era, the word broadened to describe any tall, powerful, or assertive woman, a usage that now reads as somewhat dated. The lowercase noun should be distinguished from the heavily capitalised modern references to the Amazon River, the Amazon rainforest, and the e-commerce company. The adjective form 'Amazonian' survives more actively, describing both things connected to the Amazons and, figuratively, women of imposing stature or strength.
A member of a legendary nation of female warriors in Greek mythology.
"Heracles' ninth labour was to obtain the girdle of the Amazon queen Hippolyta."
A tall, strong, or aggressive woman; a formidable or masculine-type female figure.
"The Victorian press painted her as an amazon who could out-ride and out-shoot any man."
This figurative sense is largely historical and may carry sexist connotations in modern contexts.
Lowercase plural refers collectively to the mythological warrior women or, figuratively, to multiple strong or aggressive women.
"Greek vase painters frequently depicted amazons battling hoplites."
The ancient Greeks were so baffled by the word 'Amazon' that they invented a folk etymology — claiming it came from 'a-mazos', meaning 'without a breast' — even though no classical art ever depicts Amazons that way.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of amazon
The English word derives via Latin from Greek 'Amazōn', the name of the mythical warrior women whose origin is itself obscure. Ancient Greek authors offered folk etymologies such as 'a-mazos' ('without a breast'), but these are unverified inventions rather than established linguistics. The term entered English through Latin texts and has been used since the Middle Ages to mean both the mythological warriors and, figuratively, a bold or formidable woman.
Related word forms
How amazon is actually used
In modern usage, 'amazon' (lowercase) is relatively rare outside historical or literary contexts; sense 2 carries dated and potentially sexist connotations from 19th–20th-century writing. The capitalized forms referring to the river, the rainforest, or the company are far more common today and should not be conflated with this entry.
Easily confused with amazon
The capitalised 'Amazon' most commonly refers to either the South American river and its basin or the technology company, whereas 'amazon' (lowercase) refers to the mythological female warrior.