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Pythonic

//paɪˈθɒnɪk// adj

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of or pertaining to, or resembling, a python (“large constricting snake of the family Pythonidae”); pythonlike.

    "The blue glitter of Mr Kelly's eyes in the uttermost depths of their orbits became fixed, then veiled by the classical pythonic glaze."

  2. 2
    Of or pertaining to an oracle or prophet, or to the telling of prophecies; oracular, prophetic.

    "And if it be his [Andreas Schott's] Opinion there vvas no ſuch Thing as a Pythonick Spirit, I vviſh he vvould read the Anſvver Father [Jean-François] Baltus has vvrit to Mr. [Bernard Le Bovier de] Fontenelle’s Book of Oracles, […]"

  3. 3
    Alternative letter-case form of Pythonic (“of or pertaining to, or resembling, the Python in Ancient Greek mythology, a serpent which lived at Delphi (regarded as the centre of the Earth) until it was killed by Apollo; (figurative) enormous; monstrous”). alt-of
  4. 4
    Alternative letter-case form of Pythonic (“using the idioms of the Python programming language”). alt-of, not-comparable
  5. 5
    Of or pertaining to, or resembling, the Python in Ancient Greek mythology, a serpent which lived at Delphi (regarded as the centre of the Earth) until it was killed by Apollo.
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    Enormous; also, monstrous. figuratively
  2. 7
    Using the idioms of the Python programming language.

    "The Pythonic style isn't regimented or enforced by the compiler. It has emerged over time through experience using the language and working with others."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From python (“snake of the family Pythonidae”) + -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives from nouns). Python is derived from Latin Pȳthōn, from Ancient Greek Πῡ́θων (Pū́thōn, “Python, mythical serpent which lived at Delphi”), from Πῡθώ (Pūthṓ, “Pytho, ancient name of Delphi; Python, the mythical serpent”) (probably ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“deep; dark (?); unclear (?)”) or *puH- (“foul, rotten”)) + -ων (-ōn, suffix forming possessives).

Etymology 2

From Late Middle English phitonic, phithonice (“of a possessing spirit: oracular, prophetic”), from Medieval Latin phitōnicus, a variant of Late Latin pȳthōnicus (“of or pertaining to divination, prophetic; magical”), from Byzantine Greek πυθωνικός (puthōnikós), from Koine Greek πύθων (púthōn, “spirit possessing a person, especially one with the power of prophecy”) + Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Πύθων (Púthōn) is derived from Πῡθώ (Pūthṓ, “Pytho, ancient name of Delphi; Python, the monstrous snake said to have been slain by Apollo at Delphi”) (see further at etymology 1) + -ων (-ōn, suffix forming possessives). In ancient times, Pytho, later Delphi, was the location of a Temple of Apollo where the high priestess, or Pythia, was a well-known oracle or prophetess. cognates * Middle French phitonicque, phitonique

Etymology 3

See Pythonic (etymology 1).

Etymology 4

See Pythonic (etymology 2).

Etymology 5

From Python + -ic.

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