Definition
A spiritual or mythological being who guides the souls of the dead to the afterlife, as found in various religious and cultural traditions. Common examples include Charon in Greek mythology and Anubis in Egyptian tradition.
Example Usage
In Dante's Divine Comedy, Virgil serves as a psychopomp, guiding the protagonist through the underworld.
Origin
From Greek psyche (soul) + pompos (guide/conductor); combining two ancient Greek terms into a single concept.
Fun Fact
The psychopomp archetype appears across cultures—from the valkyries of Norse mythology to Xolotl in Mesoamerican traditions—suggesting deep human concern about the journey after death.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
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