Nemesis

Nemesis (nĕm`ĭsĭs), in Greek religion and mythology, personification of the gods' retribution for violation of sacred law; the avenger. Sometimes she was said to be the goddess of good and ill fortune.

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Nemesis

Greek goddess of retribution. In the earliest Greek religion she was worshiped as a fertility goddess. Later legends told how Zeus, in the form of a swan, coupled with her in the form of a goose. Nemesis then laid the egg from which Helen of Troy was born (in other versions Leda was said to be Helen's mother). Nemesis dealt out punishments that expressed the gods' disapproval of human presumption. Her cult was also popular in Rome, particularly among soldiers.

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Nemesis [′nem·ə·səs]

(astronomy)

A hypothetical, undetected, brown-dwarf companion of the sun, in a highly elongated orbit that would cause cometary material in Oort's Cloud to fall toward the inner region of the solar system approximately once every 2.8 × 10⁷years.

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Nemesis

goddess of vengeance. [Gk. Myth.: Zimmerman, 173]

See : Anger

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Nemesis

goddess of vengeance and retribution; nemesis has come to mean that which one cannot achieve. [Gr. Myth.: WB, 14: 116; Pop. Culture: Misc.]

See : Fate

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Nemesis

daughter of Night, brought retribution upon haughty. [Gk. Myth.: Hall, 221]

See : Vengeance

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Nemesis

in ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of retribution, punishing the violators of social and moral norms. Nemesis was often depicted with the attributes of balance, control, punishment, and speed (scales, a bridle, a sword or a lash, wings, and a chariot pulled by griffins).