mythology

noun

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my·thol·o·gy | \ mi-ˈthä-lə-jē

plural mythologies

Definition of mythology

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

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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 sports metaphors that color The Off-Season and all of Cole’s oeuvre make for a distinct mythology, a perfect synergy between sports fans and rap fans who look to their heroes for stories of triumph. — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 May 2021 What follows isn’t a history so much as a key to the national mythology, a guide to the civic imagination through moving-picture images. — New York Times, 13 May 2021 Her work is autobiographical and inspired by folk art, Mexican mythology, symbolism, as well as elements of the natural world, including plants and animals. — Jen Banowetz, chicagotribune.com, 12 May 2021 The game comes with a rich mythology, roster of characters, and various locations. — Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 May 2021 Prohibition is the backbone of 1920s mythology, which paints drinking as a glamorous indiscretion. — Lila Thulin, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 May 2021 The sacrifice and struggle associated with accomplishment are part of the puritan work ethic, bootstrap-it-up mythology many of us have been marinating in since birth, both in our culture and in our family of origin. — Lisa Earle Mcleod, Forbes, 21 Apr. 2021 Shaped by mythology, astrology and society over the long course of history, this festival is the largest religious gathering of its kind in the world. — Tulasi Srinivas, The Conversation, 8 Apr. 2021 Much of the public support for Prohibition grew out of a desire for national unity and discipline, but then disobedience of Prohibition morphed into its own kind of American mythology, an assertion of one’s self-determination in defiance of the law. — Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle, 17 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mythology.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for mythology

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