pantheon
PAN-thee-on
/ˈpænθiən/
All the gods of a people or religion collectively; a building in which the illustrious dead of a nation are buried or honored.
It can be used literally for a group of gods or metaphorically for a group of famous or respected people in a specific field.
The story behind the word. From the Greek 'pantheion,' meaning 'of all gods.' The most famous example is the Pantheon in Rome, a temple originally dedicated to all the Roman gods, which features a massive dome with a hole (oculus) in the center.
Word relationships
- gods: Gods is a general term; pantheon refers to the entire organized group.
Commonly confused with
- deity: A deity is one god; a pantheon is the whole group.
Collocations
- pantheon of gods
- literary pantheon
- national pantheon
- enter the pantheon
Example sentences
- "The Greek pantheon was led by Zeus and included twelve major Olympian deities." Ancient History
- "Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton certainly belong in the pantheon of great scientific minds." Modern Metaphor
Memory hook
Think of 'Pan' (meaning 'all,' like a panoramic view) and 'Theo' (meaning 'god,' like theology). 'All the gods.' All the gods in one place.
When not to use
Don't use it to refer to a single god; it always implies a collective group.
Fun facts
- The Pantheon in Rome has the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome, even after nearly 2,000 years.
Explore more words
temple, monotheism, veneration, mausoleum, omnipotent, diverse
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