undine

undine
/un deen", un"deen/, n.
any of a group of female water spirits described by Paracelsus.
[ < NL undina (1658; coined by Paracelsus), equiv. to L und(a) wave, water + -ina -INE1]
Syn. See sylph.

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also spelled  Ondine 

      mythological figure of European tradition, a water nymph who becomes human when she falls in love with a man but is doomed to die if he is unfaithful to her. Derived from the Greek figures known as Nereids (Nereid), attendants of the sea god Poseidon, Ondine was first mentioned in the writings of the Swiss author Paracelsus, who put forth his theory that there are spirits called “undines” who inhabit the element of water. A version of the myth was adapted as the romance Undine by Baron Fouqué (Fouqué, Friedrich Heinrich Karl de la Motte, Baron) in 1811, and librettos based on the romance were written by E.T.A. Hoffmann (Hoffmann, E.T.A.) in 1816 and Albert Lortzing (Lortzing, Albert) in 1845. Maurice Maeterlinck (Maeterlinck, Maurice)'s play Pelléas et Mélisande (1892) was in part based on this myth, as was Ondine (1939), a drama by Jean Giraudoux (Giraudoux, Jean). Compare gnome; sylph. The myth was also the basis of a ballet choreographed and performed by Margot Fonteyn (Fonteyn, Dame Margot).

      The word is from the Latin unda, meaning “wave” or “water.”

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Undine — Undine, Undina or Ondine are sometimes interchangeable and may refer to: Ondine (mythology), a water nymph from mythology Contents 1 In literature and painting 2 In music and ballet …   Wikipedia

  • Undine — steht für: Undine (Mythologie), ein weiblicher Wassergeist der Mythologie Undine (Vorname), ein weiblicher Vorname Undine Syndrom, eine Erkrankung des zentralen Nervensystems Undine Award, eine internationale Filmauszeichnung für… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Undine — Un*dine , n. [G. undine, or F. ondin, ondine, from L. unda a wave, water.] One of a class of fabled female water spirits who might receive a human soul by intermarrying with a mortal. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • undine — 1821, from Mod.L. Undina (1650s), coined by Paracelsus ( De Nymphis ) for a water spirit in his alchemical system, from L. unda a wave (see WATER (Cf. water)). Popularized by German romance Undine, eine Erzählung (1811) by Baron F.H.C. La Motte… …   Etymology dictionary

  • Undine — Undine, im mittelalterlichen Volksglauben weibliche Elementargeister des Wassers, die sich gerne mit Sterblichen in Liebesverhältnisse einlassen. Unduliren, sich wellenförmig bewegen; Undulation, eine solche Bewegung, Schwingung;… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • undine — [un dēn′; un′dēn, un′dīn] n. [Ger < ModL Undina, coined by PARACELSUS Philippus Aureolus for a water spirit in his alchemical system < L unda, a wave: see WATER] Folklore a female water spirit who can acquire a soul by marrying, and having… …   English World dictionary

  • Undine — Un|di|ne, die; , n [H. u.]: weiblicher Wassergeist. * * * Undine,   im Wasser hausender weiblicher Elementargeist mit menschlicher Gestalt; die unsterbliche Seele wird U. erst durch Vermählung mit einem irdischen Mann zuteil. Der Name, zuerst im… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Undine — lateinischer Name, Bedeutung: Wassergeist, Nixe, angelehnt an das Märchen von der gleichnamigen Nixe. Bekannt durch die Erzählung »Undine« (1811) von Friedrich de la Motte Fouqué und die gleichnamigen Opern von E. T. A. Hoffmann (1816) bzw.… …   Deutsch namen

  • undinė — undìnė sf. (2) DŽ, TrpŽ, NdŽ; S.Dauk vandens būtybė, vandenė: Kur upelė ar ežerėlis, ten, žiūrėk, pakraščiais undinės vakarais maudosi V.Krėv. Jūrmergės undinės tau kasas šukuos S.Nėr. Iškyla mėnesėtą naktį sala, o toje saloje undinė neregėto… …   Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language

  • Undine (Mythologie) — Undine von John William Waterhouse,1872 Undine (auch Undene, lat. unda = Welle) (oder auch französisch Ondine = Nixe) ist ein weiblicher, jungfräulicher Wassergeist. Sie gehört zu den so genannten halbgöttlichen Elementargeistern …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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