mythos

noun my·thos \ ˈmi-ˌthōs , -ˌthäs \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

Definition of mythos

plural mythoi play \-ˌthȯi\

1 a : myth 1a

b : mythology 2a

2 : a pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture

3 : theme, plot

the starving artist mythos

Examples of mythos in a Sentence

according to one creation mythos, humans sprang from the forehead of a god
the Superman mythos has long since become ingrained in popular American culture

Recent Examples of mythos from the Web

This is a surprisingly critical film that portrays the incident not as a shocking tragedy but as a reprehensible crime, framing the Kennedy mythos as a battered shield its protagonist ducked behind.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Chappaquiddick Is a Damning Portrayal of a Real-Life Tragedy," 4 Apr. 2018
In turn, service members feel increasingly alienated and broad-brushed, which forces them to bury their thoughts even deeper — leaving a larger space for that mythos to fill.

— matt young, Time, "I Hope the Military Doesn't Change My Brother Like It Did Me," 13 Mar. 2018
To justify enslaving, raping, and breeding Black women and girls, white Americans created a mythos around Black women’s sexuality.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "Grown-Woman Theology," 2 Mar. 2018
In many cases, these defections—the courageous moments when a bootstrapping entrepreneur decided to break away from the comfort of an engineering job at Hewlett-Packard or IBM—acquire a mythos of their own.

— jacob silverman, The New Republic, "The generational shift that made tech companies a cultural and political force," 28 Feb. 2018
Sam and Twitch: True Detectives by Todd McFarlane Productions: Eight issues focusing on the two detective characters central to the Spawn mythos.

— graeme mcmillan, The Hollywood Reporter, "Image Unveils Millarworld/Netflix Plans and New Comic Book Projects," 21 Feb. 2018
Thankfully, however, the mystic mythos of Mobile is everlasting and boundless.

— the masked observer, AL.com, "Masked Observer muses on Mellow MoonPies and Carnival's unwavering spirit," 16 Feb. 2018
The United States is flooded with guns, a reflection both of its cowboy mythos and its obeisance to profit.

— sarah jones, New Republic, "The Mental Health Scapegoat," 16 Feb. 2018
Africa’s demographic diversity played a large role in the mythos of Black Panther.

— paige allen, Marie Claire, "Black Panther's Costumes Represent the Heart of the Movie: Unapologetic Blackness," 14 Feb. 2018

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