deity
DAY-uh-tee
/ˈdeɪəti/
A god or goddess; a divine being.
A formal and gender-neutral way to refer to a divine figure in any religious system.
The story behind the word. Comes from the Latin 'deitas,' which is derived from 'deus' (god). It is related to the Sanskrit 'deva,' showing the deep Indo-European roots of the word for 'shining one' or 'god.'
Word relationships
- divinity: Divinity refers more to the state of being divine, while deity refers to the being itself.
- mortal: A mortal is a human being subject to death, the opposite of an eternal deity.
Commonly confused with
- pantheon: A deity is an individual; a pantheon is the collective group.
Word family
- deify (verb): To treat or worship someone like a god.
- deification (noun): The act of deifying someone.
Collocations
- supreme deity
- minor deity
- pagan deity
- worship a deity
Example sentences
- "In Greek mythology, each deity ruled over a specific aspect of human life, from war to the harvest." Religious Studies
- "In many myths, a deity will descend to earth in disguise to test the hospitality of mortals." Literature
Memory hook
Think of 'Deity' and 'Divine'—both start with 'D' and refer to the same heavenly concept. Divine entity.
When not to use
In casual conversation, 'god' is more common; 'deity' is better suited for academic or respectful religious discussions.
Fun facts
- The word 'Tuesday' is named after the Norse deity Tiw, the god of single-combat and justice.
Related words
Explore more words
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