1. in Greek mythology the name of the Pythian serpent or dragon that dwelt in the region of Pytho at the foot of Parnassus in Phocis, and was said to have guarded the oracle of Delphi and been slain by Apollo.

2. equivalent to δαιμόνιον μαντικον (Hesychius, under the word), a spirit of divination: πνεῦμα Πύθωνος, or more correctly (with L T Tr WH) πνεῦμα πύθωνα (on the union of two substantives one of which has the force of an adjective see Matthiae, p. 962, 4; (Kühner, § 405, 1; Lob. Paralip. 344f)), Acts 16:16; some interpreters think that the young woman here mentioned was a ventriloquist, appealing to Plutarch, who tells us (mor., p. 414 e. de def. orac. 9) that in his time ἐγγαστριμυθοι were called πυθωνες; (cf. Meyer).