mythical

adjective

myth·​i·​cal ˈmi-thi-kəl How to pronounce mythical (audio)
variants or mythic
1
: based on or described in a myth especially as contrasted with history
2
usually mythical : existing only in the imagination : fictitious, imaginary
constructed a mythical all-star team
3
usually mythic : having qualities suitable to myth : legendary
the twilight of a mythic professional careerClayton Riley
mythically adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for mythical

fictitious, fabulous, legendary, mythical, apocryphal mean having the nature of something imagined or invented.

fictitious implies fabrication and suggests artificiality or contrivance more than deliberate falsification or deception.

fictitious characters

fabulous stresses the marvelous or incredible character of something without necessarily implying impossibility or actual nonexistence.

a land of fabulous riches

legendary suggests the elaboration of invented details and distortion of historical facts produced by popular tradition.

the legendary exploits of Davy Crockett

mythical implies a purely fanciful explanation of facts or the creation of beings and events out of the imagination.

mythical creatures

apocryphal implies an unknown or dubious source or origin or may imply that the thing itself is dubious or inaccurate.

a book that repeats many apocryphal stories

Examples of mythical in a Sentence

Hercules was a mythical hero who was half man and half god. gods fighting in a mythical battle in the sky The sportswriters picked a mythical all-star team. The benefits of the new policy proved to be mythical.
Recent Examples on the Web Set to drop next year, the series will follow the journey of King Grey, a once-powerful ruler reborn into a world of magic, mythical creatures and epic battles as Arthur Leywin, a bay with untapped potential. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 Oct. 2024 It is decorated with paintings of large serpents with human legs, as well as images of warriors and an unidentified mythical creature. Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2024 There is a fantastically zany song about the Rainbow Bridge—a kind of mythical gateway to heaven for pets and their owners—which turns unexpectedly profound on its reprise late in the show, and a delightfully counterintuitive number about ghosts and the afterlife. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2024 Meaning: From the alder grove Alternative Spellings & Variations: Delany Faun A faun is a kind of mythical creature found in Pan’s Labyrinth. Taylor Grothe, Parents, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mythical 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mythical.' 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

mythical, from Late Latin mȳthicus "of myth, legendary" (borrowed from Greek mȳthikós, from mŷthos "utterance, tale, myth" + -ikos -ic entry 1) + -al entry 1; mythic, borrowed from Late Latin mȳthicus

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mythical was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near mythical

Cite this Entry

“Mythical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mythical. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

mythical

adjective
myth·​i·​cal ˈmith-i-kəl How to pronounce mythical (audio)
variants or mythic
1
: based on, described in, or being a myth
Hercules is a mythical hero
2
: existing only in the imagination : imaginary
the author created a mythical town
mythically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on mythical

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