VAMPIRE


Meaning of VAMPIRE in English

[Folklore] An undead that rises from the grave during the night to drink the blood of the living in order to stay "alive". Generally the word "undead" refers to a creature that should be dead but is still active within the realm of the living. The word "vampire" comes from the Slavic word obyri or obiri, which evolved into the Bulgarian word "vampir". Although sources differ greatly, some say that the Greek word nosophoros (which means "plague-carrier") that evolved into the Old Slavonic word "nosufur-atu" is a synonym for the word "vampire". In our culture, the words "vampire" and "nosferatu" are interchanged often. Birth of a Legend The vampire is truly a global creature, with myths related to the dead which rise to drink the blood of the living coming out of cultures all around the world. From Africa to Japan to Spain and the UK, the vampire has held humans enthralled for centuries. Nowhere, however, do we see more vampire folklore than in the stories of the Slavic people. Perhaps the rea...

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Encyclopedia Mythica English dictionary.      Английский энциклопедический словарь греческой мифологии.