Derived from Greek ἀντιάνειρα (antianeira) meaning "a match for men", itself from ἀντί (anti) "against, compared to, like" and ἀνήρ (aner) "man". In Homer's Iliad ἀντιάνειραι (antianeirai) was an epithet of the Amazons. This was the name of several characters in Greek mythology.