Sekhmet is the Egyptian warrior goddess of medicine, violence, and plague, whose name derives from the Egyptian sḫmt, stemming from sḫm meaning "powerful" and a feminine t suffix. She was a solar deity, often called the "Eye of Ra," and she was commonly depicted with the head of a lioness. Though sometimes conflated with Bastet, the cat-headed goddess, Sekhmet retained a fierce, lioness aspect even as Bastet became associated with domestic cats in the New Kingdom period.MythologySekhmet is described in ancient Egyptian texts as the daughter of the sun god Ra and acted as his vengeful manifestation, breathing fire and harnessing the hot desert winds. She was said to cause plagues — viewed as her servants or messengers — but was also invoked to ward off disease and heal the sick. In a myth about the end of Ra's earthly rule, he sent the goddess Hathor, in the form of Sekhmet, to destroy humanity, but she was eventually tricked into drinking beer colored red like blood and stopped the slaughter.Name and OriginsThe name Sekhmet comes from the Egyptian root sḫm ("powerful") plus the feminine t suffix, fitting her role as a powerful predatory goddess. Her cult was prominent in Memphis, where she was worshipped alongside Ptah and Nefertem as part of a triad. As a protector of pharaohs in warfare, she was often represented wearing the sun disk and uraeus, wielding the ankh and scepter.Meaning: "Powerful" from Egyptian sḫmOrigin: Ancient EgyptianType: Deity nameUsage: Egyptian mythology, occasional modern revivalRelated goddesses: Bastet, Hathor