mythology
mih-THOL-uh-jee
/mɪˈθɒl.ə.dʒi/
A collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition; the study of myths.
Often used to describe stories that a culture believes to be true but which others might see as fictional.
The story behind the word. In ancient Greek, 'mythos' simply meant 'a story' or 'a word'. However, as Greek philosophy developed, 'logos' came to mean 'rational argument', and 'mythos' was relegated to 'fanciful stories'. Mythology is the 'logos' (study) of those 'mythos' (stories).
Word relationships
- folklore: Folklore is the traditional beliefs and stories of a community; mythology usually involves gods and the origins of the world.
- legend: A legend is a story about human heroes that may have a kernel of truth; mythology is about the divine.
- fact: Something that is known or proven to be true.
Commonly confused with
- myth: A myth is a single story; mythology is the whole system or the study of those stories.
Word family
- mythological (adjective): Relating to mythology.
- mythologist (noun): A person who studies mythology.
Collocations
- classical mythology
- comparative mythology
- creation mythology
- urban mythology
Example sentences
- "In college, I took a course on Norse mythology to learn about Thor and Odin." Describing a field of study.
- "The mythology of the American West often exaggerates the bravery of cowboys and outlaws." Discussing modern legends.
Memory hook
A 'Myth' is a 'Mystery' 'Story'. The study of sacred stories.
When not to use
Don't use it to mean 'a bunch of lies' in a rude way; it refers to a structured system of belief and story.
Fun facts
- J.R.R. Tolkien created his own 'mythopoeia' (myth-making) for Middle-earth.
- Many constellations are named after figures from Greek mythology.
Related words
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