mythology

noun

my·​thol·​o·​gy mi-ˈthä-lə-jē 

plural mythologies

1

: an allegorical narrative

2

: a body of myths: such as

a

: the myths dealing with the gods, demigods, and legendary heroes of a particular people

b

: mythos sense 2

cold war mythology

3

: a branch of knowledge that deals with myth

4

: a popular belief or assumption that has grown up around someone or something : myth sense 2a

… defective mythologies that ignore masculine depth of feeling …

—Robert Bly

mythologer

mi-ˈthä-lə-jər 

noun

mythologist

mi-ˈthä-lə-jist 

noun

Synonyms of mythology

• folklore
• tradition
• lore

Examples of mythology in a Sentence

We have been studying ancient Greek mythology.

We compared the two cultures' mythologies.

There is a popular mythology that he discovered the cause of the disease by himself.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Storm Runner, by JC Cervantes The Storm Runner is the first book in a trilogy about Mayan mythology, following Zane Obispo, a 13-year-old with a limp who gets made fun of at school. — Kavya Dhillon, Parents, 19 Sep. 2026

The showings will also be accompanied by a new featurette with director James McTeigue, who reflects on the enduring mythology of V and why the film’s ideas of freedom and resistance still resonate today. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026

What impact did her decision to (arguably) curve Drake’s kiss attempt when presenting her the award have on both of their mythologies? — Andrew Unterberger, Billboard, 17 Sep. 2026

In mythology, Mimas was a giant who killed Mars during the war between the Titans and gods of Olympus. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English methologie, mithologie "exposition of a myth, book of myths," borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French mythologie, borrowed from Late Latin mȳthologia (in Mythologiae, title of a myth compilation by Fulgentius, ca. 500), borrowed from Greek mȳthología "fiction, storytelling," from mŷthos "utterance, tale, myth" + -o- -o- + -logia -logy

First Known Use

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mythology

• anthology
• apology
• astrology
• biology
• christology
• chronology
• conchology
• cosmology
• cryptology
• cytology
• doxology
• ecology

Kids Definition

mythology

noun

my·​thol·​o·​gy mith-ˈäl-ə-jē 

plural mythologies

1

: a collection of myths

especially : the myths dealing with the gods and heroes of a particular people

Greek mythology

2

: a branch of knowledge that deals with myths

mythological

ˌmith-ə-ˈläj-i-kəl

adjective