Sirenaic
English
Etymology
From blending of siren + Cyrenaic (“inhabitant of the proverbially luxurious city of Cyrene or its territory Cyrenaica; adherent of the hedonistic philosophy of Aristippus of Cyrene”) and from conflation of the mythical siren with the legendary mermaid.
Noun
Sirenaic (plural Sirenaics)
- (historical, rare) A member of the celebrated Fraternity of Sireniacal Gentlemen, a club that met at the Mermaid Tavern in Elizabethan London.
- 2012, Ian Donaldson, “Life of Ben Jonson”, in Cambridge Edition of the Works of Ben Jonson Online:
- In September 1611 the Sirenaics were among the company of wits who gathered at the Mitre Tavern to celebrate the exploits of another fearless traveller, the scribbler and buffoon Thomas Coryate...
Derived terms
- Sirenaical
References
- “†Sirenaic, n.”, in OED Online
, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
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