mythology

noun

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

Other Words from mythology Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about mythology

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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

For those who’d prefer our entertainment to challenge us a bit, at least season 3 improves upon the recycled plots and warmed-over Upside Down mythology of season 2. — Judy Berman, Time, "Season 3 of Stranger Things Proves It Isn't Really a TV Show Anymore—It's a Franchise," 30 June 2019 Unlike the mythology of its predecessors, Bosley is now a position rather than a name. — Alex Abad-santos, Vox, "Kristen Stewart hurts a lot of men in the first Charlie’s Angels trailer," 27 June 2019 Across ancient mythologies of the Northern Hemisphere, wolves were venerated as teachers and representative of altruism and integrity, Alfero says. — Gregory Thomas, SFChronicle.com, "Can ‘wolf therapy’ open people up? One shaman aims to find out.," 26 June 2019 Also, there was familiarity with the gumiho as an immortal paranormal creature that preys on man is similar to the Western mythology of the werewolf (also connected to the moon) and also the vampire. — Elena Nicolaou, refinery29.com, "Move Over, Vampires — There's A New Mythological Creature In YA Fiction & She Is Foxy," 25 June 2019 Old-school face-to-face politicking is central to the mythology of Iowa and New Hampshire's status as first-in-the-nation presidential pickers. — NBC News, "Shaking hands is so 2008. This presidential primary has been 'nationalized'.," 17 June 2019 The music of Joy Division, raised to mythology by the suicide on May 18, 1980, of singer Ian Curtis, was too much for easy categorization. — Zachary Lipez, Washington Post, "How Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ image went from underground album cover to a piece of cultural ubiquity," 14 June 2019 My garments deconstruct mythologies of masculinity and violence and reimagine gender and social justice through innovative design and intentional materiality. Most unusual material used? — Vogue, "19 FIT, Pratt, and Parsons 2019 Graduates on Their Collections and the Future of Fashion," 22 May 2019 Roberto Calasso is our foremost interpreter of the mythology of modern life. — Dominic Green, WSJ, "Roberto Calasso’s ‘The Unnamable Present’ Review: Sacrifices at Modernity’s Altar," 10 May 2019

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