Pygmalion Meaning and Definition

Pronunciation

/ˌpɪɡˈmɛliən/ 🔊

Part of Speech

Noun

Definition

A person who falls in love with their own creation, often used to describe a man who creates a woman from clay and falls in love with her in Greek mythology.

Examples

• In Ovid’s Pygmalion, the title character is a sculptor who falls in love with his creation, a statue of Aphrodite.
• The character Pygmalion in John Fowles’ novel is a professor who becomes obsessed with his student, Elaine, and ultimately fakes his own death to be with her.

Synonyms

• Mad scientist
• Lover

Antonyms

• Critic
• Doubter

Etymology

The name “Pygmalion” comes from Greek mythology, where Pygmalion was a sculptor who fell in love with his creation, a statue of Aphrodite.

Usage Notes

When using the term “Pygmalion” in a sentence, it is often used to describe a person who has become overly attached or enamored with something they have created.

Cultural References

Pygmalion has been referenced in numerous works of literature, art, and film, including Ovid’s “Metamorphoses”, John Fowles’ novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman”, and the musical “My Fair Lady”, where the character Professor Henry Higgins is often referred to as “Pygmalion”.

Idiomatic Expressions or Phrases

Being a “Pygmalion” refers to the act of falling in love with one’s own creation or invention.

Related Words or Phrases

• Paneratis
• Artificial

Collocations

• Pygmalion complex
• Pygmalion love

Frequency of Use

Pygmalion is a relatively rare word in modern language, but it is still used in academic and literary contexts.

Common Misspellings

• Pygmalian
• Pigmilion