Thanatos
|Tha-na-tos|
🇺🇸
/ˈθænətəs/
🇬🇧
/ˈθænətɒs/
personification of death; death drive
Etymology
'Thanatos' originates from Ancient Greek, specifically the word 'Θάνατος' (Thánatos), where the root 'θαν-' (than-) meant 'death'.
'Thanatos' was used in Ancient Greek as 'Θάνατος'. The form passed into Latin and later into modern European languages through classical literature and scholarly use; in the late 19th and early 20th centuries the term was reintroduced into scientific discourse (notably German and English) via psychoanalytic writings.
Initially, it referred specifically to the personification of death in Greek belief; over time it has retained that mythological sense while also acquiring a technical psychological meaning as the 'death drive'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the personification of death in Greek mythology — a minor god who represents death.
In Greek myth, Thanatos is often depicted as a winged figure who escorts the dead to the underworld.
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Noun 2
(Psychology) In Freudian theory, the death drive — an instinct toward aggression, self‑destruction, or a return to an inorganic state; contrasted with Eros (the life drive).
Freud used the term Thanatos to describe a death drive that works against the life instincts.
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Last updated: 2025/11/01 21:03