What does aphrodite mean?
Aphrodite is the name of the ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexual desire, one of the twelve Olympians and a figure central to Greek myth and religion. According to Hesiod, she was born from the sea foam near Cyprus or Cythera, while Homer makes her the daughter of Zeus and Dione. She was widely worshipped across the Greek world, with major sanctuaries at Cyprus, Cythera, and Corinth, and her Roman counterpart is Venus, with whom she was later identified. In literature and art she appears as a powerful force of attraction who influences gods and mortals alike, most famously in the myth of Paris, in which she wins the judgment over Hera and Athena by promising the most beautiful woman in the world. Beyond mythology, the name survives in English chiefly through the word 'aphrodisiac', denoting something that arouses desire.
The ancient Greek goddess of love, beauty, and sexual desire; later identified with the Roman Venus.
"Aphrodite rose from the sea foam, according to the poet Hesiod."
Capitalized as a proper noun; sometimes used metonymically for beauty or erotic love in literary contexts.
A statue, painting, or other representation of the goddess Aphrodite.
"The gallery's Hellenistic Aphrodite is among its most photographed works."
Rare; used mainly when referring to multiple statues or depictions of the goddess rather than to the deity herself.
"The exhibition gathered dozens of ancient Aphrodites from museums across Europe."
According to Greek myth, Aphrodite was born fully formed from the sea foam where Uranus's severed remains fell into the ocean.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aphrodite
The name comes from ancient Greek Ἀφροδίτη (Aphrodítē), traditionally connected by Greek authors themselves with aphrós, meaning 'sea foam', though modern scholars regard the ultimate etymology as uncertain, possibly of Near Eastern origin. The Latin equivalent adopted under interpretatio romana was Venus. The name entered English via classical Latin and Renaissance humanist writing, giving rise to derivatives such as 'aphrodisiac'.
Related word forms
How aphrodite is actually used
Always capitalized as a proper noun. In classical contexts it refers specifically to the Greek deity; using it loosely for any beautiful woman is now dated and generally avoided. Adjectival forms such as 'Aphroditic' are rare outside scholarly writing.
Easily confused with aphrodite
Venus is the Roman goddess who came to be identified with Aphrodite, the original Greek deity of love and beauty.