lamia
/ˈleɪmɪə
/noun (plural lamias or lamiae /ˈleɪmɪiː/)
A mythical monster supposed to have the body of a woman, and to prey on human beings and suck the blood of children.We lamia were not supposed to fall in love with humans, but I was willing to break every existing rule for her....
- Leinweber discusses the development of beliefs about sorcerers and female vampires (lamiae) in Greek and Roman texts through Apuleius and shows how they prefigured modern witchcraft and vampire legends.
- This has obvious parallels with the striges and lamiae of classical myth and belief.
Origin
Via Latin from Greek, denoting a carnivorous fish or mythical monster.