famous sorceress, daughter of the king of Colchis, from Latin Medea, from Greek Medeia, literally "cunning," related to medos "counsel, plan, device, cunning," medein "to protect, rule over," from PIE root *med- "to measure, limit, consider" (see meditation).
In classical mythology, a sorceress who fell in love with Jason and helped him obtain the Golden Fleece. When Jason abandoned her to marry another woman, she took revenge by brutally murdering his young bride as well as the children she had borne him.