Main Entry:

apo·the·o·sis

Pronunciation:

\ə-ˌpä-thē-ˈō-səs, ˌa-pə-ˈthē-ə-səs\

Function:

noun

Inflected Form(s):

plural apo·the·o·ses \-ˌsēz\

Etymology:

Late Latin, from Greek apotheōsis, from apotheoun to deify, from apo- + theos god

Date:

circa 1580

1 : elevation to divine status : deification 2 : the perfect example : quintessence <this is the literary apotheosis of the shaggy dog story — Thomas Sutcliffe>

— apo·the·o·size \ˌa-pə-ˈthē-ə-ˌsīz, ə-ˈpä-thē-ə-\ transitive verb