Gender Feminine
Usage Greek Mythology
Scripts Φιλύρα(Ancient Greek)
Other Forms FormsΦιλύρη (Philyre; Epic and Ionic Greek form)
Meaning & History
Means "lime tree, linden tree" in Greek. In Greek mythology Philyra was one of the 3,000 Oceanids, water nymph daughters of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys. She was loved by the Titan Cronus. 'When his wife Rhea came upon their rendezvous, he quickly transformed himself into a horse to escape detection. As a result, Philyra birthed a half-horse, half-man hybrid, the centaur Chiron. To ease her shame, Cronus transformed her into a lime-tree.'