Word of the Day!

orphic [awr-fik]

adjective:
1 of or relating to Orpheus or the rites or doctrines ascribed to him
2 mystical or occult; fascinating, entrancing

Examples:

Their extreme difficulty, combined with an initially limited availability in print, led readers to construe Pound's mind as the unapproachable source of an orphic craft. (Kathryn Winner, Allen Ginsberg's Self-Recording Sessions, The New Yorker, January 2023)

Readers mystified by any of the author’s orphic lingo will find full explanations in the book’s extensive glossary. (Meghan Cox Gurdon, Children’s Books: James Baldwin’s Tale of Childhood in Harlem, The Wall Street Journal, November 2012)

Reinhardt is an orphic figure of mythical allure because of the incredible things he could do with a guitar. (Lyn Gardner, Little Bulb: natural born lyres, The Guardian, March 2013)

And the whole account is symbolical, we think, consciously symbolical; it has an Orphic tinge, hinting of mystic rites. (denton j snider, Homer's Odyssey)

Origin:

"of or related to Orpheus or the doctrines attributed to him," 1670s, from Latinized form of Greek orphikos "pertaining to Orpheus," the legendary master musician of ancient Thrace, son of Eagrus and Calliope, husband of Eurydice, who had the power of charming all living things and inanimate objects with his lyre. His name is of unknown origin. In later times he was accounted a philosopher and adept in secret knowledge, and various mystic doctrines were associated with his name, whence Orphic mysteries, etc. (late 17c). The earlier adjective was Orphean (1590s). (Online Etymology Dictionary)

Orpheus was a hero of Greek mythology who was supposed to possess superhuman musical skills. With his legendary lyre, he was said to be able to make even the rocks and trees dance around. In fact, when his wife Eurydice died, he was nearly able to use his lyre to secure her return from the underworld. Later on, according to legend, he was killed at the bidding of Dionysus, and an oracle of Orpheus was established that came to rival the oracle of Apollo at Delphi. Because of the oracle of Orpheus, orphic can mean 'oracular.' Because of Orpheus' musical powers, orphic can also mean 'entrancing.' (Merriam-Webster)