[sahy-lee-nuh
s] 
[-nahy] for 2. Classical Mythology. | 1. | a forest spirit, sometimes referred to as the oldest of the satyrs and the foster father, teacher, and companion of Dionysus: often represented as a bearded old man. |
| 2. | (lowercase) any of a group of forest spirits similar to satyrs: often represented as a drunken old man with the legs and ears of a horse. |
| si·le·ni (sī-lē'nī) n. Plural of silenus. |
| si·le·nus (sī-lē'nəs) n. pl. si·le·ni (-nī) Greek Mythology Any of the minor woodland deities and companions of Dionysus, depicted on Greek vases as men with the tails, ears, and hooves of horses. [Latin sīlēnus, from Greek sīlēnos, from Sīlēnos, Silenus.] |