oracle town on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, in Phocis, from Greek delphis "dolphin" (see dolphin). Supposedly Apollo assumed this form to found his famous sanctuary at that place.
Entries linking to delphi
dolphin n.
popular name of a diverse group of marine mammals, also including the porpoise (but the true dolphin has a longer and more slender snout), mid-14c., dolfin, from Old French daulphin, from Medieval Latin dolfinus, from Latin delphinus "dolphin," from Greek delphis (genitive delphinos) "dolphin," related to delphys "womb," perhaps via notion of the animal bearing live young, or from its shape. Popularly applied to the dorado from late 16c. through some confusion. The constellation is so called from early 15c.
Delphic adj.
"of or pertaining to Apollo or to his priestess of the oracle at Delphi," 1590s, from Latin Delphicus, from Greek Delphikos, from Delphi (see Delphi). Related: Delphian.