apotheosis

noun

apo·​the·​o·​sis ə-ˌpä-thē-ˈō-səs  ˌa-pə-ˈthē-ə-səs 

plural apotheoses ə-ˌpä-thē-ˈō-ˌsēz 

ˌa-pə-ˈthē-ə-ˌsēz

1

a

: the perfect form or example of something : quintessence

the apotheosis of Hollywood glamour

… Nelson Rockefeller, the other top contender and the apotheosis of liberal Republicanism.

—Sam Tanenhaus

b

: the highest or best part of something : peak

The city reaches its apotheosis at the holiday …

—David Leavin

2

: elevation to divine status : deification

the apotheosis of Roman emperors

apotheosize

ˌa-pə-ˈthē-ə-ˌsīz 

ə-ˈpä-thē-ə-

transitive verb

Did you know?

Among the ancient Greeks, it was sometimes thought fitting to grant someone "god" status. Hence the word apothéōsis, from the verb apotheóō or apotheoûn, meaning "to deify." (All are rooted in Greek theós, meaning "god," which we can also thank for such religion-related terms as theology and atheism.). There's not a lot of literal apotheosizing to be had in modern English, but apotheosis is thriving in the 21st century. It can refer to the highest or best part of something, as in "the celebration reaches its apotheosis in an elaborate feast," or to a perfect example or ultimate form, as in "a movie that is the apotheosis of the sci-fi genre."

Synonyms of apotheosis

• manifestation
• incarnation
• classic
• ideal
• perfection
• zenith
• model
• acme
• quintessence
• epitome
• byword

Examples of apotheosis in a Sentence

the apotheosis of the picaresque novel

Recent Examples on the Web

For this Welsh immigrant family rose from nothing to produce an American icon who mastered a distinctly American art form — the ultimate apotheosis of the American Dream — and who is, ironically, the most miserable of them all. —Ben Croll, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026

But the apotheosis of the ceremony arrived early, and had little to do with individual personalities. —Alison Herman, Variety, 6 Feb. 2026

Trump is at once a symptom of this disease and its apotheosis, a living representation of all the ways the United States has encouraged, tolerated and rewarded the most selfish and antisocial behaviors imaginable, at least among a certain class of person. —Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026

That may prove to be wrong, but the current conventional wisdom as displayed in the MAGA apotheosis of Vice President Vance tells us that’s what the Republican collective consciousness is expecting. —Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin apotheōsis "transformation into a god, deification," borrowed from Greek apothéōsis, from apotheō-, variant stem of apotheóō, apotheoûn "to transform into a god, deify" (from apo- apo- + theoûn "to make a god of," verbal derivative of theós "god") + -sis -sis — more at theo-

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for apotheosis

• amyloidosis
• anaplasmosis
• anastomosis
• aponeurosis
• aspergillosis
• blastomycosis
• coccidiosis
• cryptococcosis
• cysticercosis
• endocytosis
• exocytosis
• furunculosis