deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ə-tē How to pronounce deity (audio) ˈdā- How to pronounce deity (audio)
plural deities
1
a
: the rank or essential nature of a god : divinity
b
capitalized : god sense 1, supreme being
2
: a god (see god entry 1 sense 2) or goddess
the deities of ancient Greece
3
: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful
such established American deities as Daniel Boone, Kit CarsonJ. D. Hart
the deities of the banking world

Examples of deity in a Sentence

to the ancient Greeks, Zeus was the deity who ruled over the sky and weather, and Poseidon was god of the sea we prayed to the Deity for guidance
Recent Examples on the Web He’s known for a wearing a monkey mask in the ring, which doubles as a tribute to Hanuman, the Hindu deity who once led an army of simians against the ancient forced of evil. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024 The Satanic Temple does not view Satan as a deity or otherwise supernatural figure, but instead as a symbol against societal norms, according to the organization’s teachings. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 24 Jan. 2024 The fact that this statue depicts a male god is also unusual, as most of the others are of female deities like Venus, the goddess of love. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 The venture is reportedly codenamed Izanagi, in reference to the Japanese creator deity. David Meyer, Fortune, 19 Feb. 2024 Builders hoped to show all faiths are welcome at the site where Hindu worshipers will be able to pray before deities representative of Hinduism's different denominations. Jon Gambrell, Quartz, 12 Feb. 2024 In 2019, several months after Modi’s reëlection, the Supreme Court of India—after a prolonged legal dispute—allowed for the construction of a Hindu temple on the site, which many Hindus believe is the birthplace of the Hindu deity Ram. Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 24 Jan. 2024 The movement to build a temple for Ram at the same spot was not just about the return of a deity with crosscutting popularity in India as a just ruler and moral exemplar, but also the toppling of a symbol of conquest. Hari Kumar Atul Loke, New York Times, 22 Jan. 2024 But the parasitic worm has been touted as a cure-all by various ancient medicine traditions: It can be seen in Ancient Egyptian tomb paintings and traditional portraits of Dhanvantari, the Hindu deity associated with Ayurveda. Zoey Poll, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deitee, from Anglo-French deité, from Late Latin deitat-, deitas, from Latin deus god; akin to Old English Tīw, god of war, Latin divus god, dies day, Greek dios heavenly, Sanskrit deva heavenly, god

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of deity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near deity

Cite this Entry

“Deity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deity. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deity

noun
de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ət-ē How to pronounce deity (audio)
plural deities
1
b
capitalized : god sense 1
the Deity
2
Etymology

Middle English deitee "the nature of being divine," from early French deité (same meaning), derived from Latin deus "god" — related to adieu, adios

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