mythos

noun my·thos \ ˈmi-ˌthōs , -ˌthäs \

Updated on: 15 May 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

The Warriors, who only just added Curry back into the lineup, remain so dominant that making a dent in their mythos might as well be a direct hit.

— nathaniel friedman, GQ, "The Future of LeBron James Is the Most Compelling Subplot of the Playoffs," 2 May 2018
But the first half of the twentieth century produced a situation that would transform the lives of many American workers, create a comfortable middle class for several decades to come, and a national mythos that endures to this day.

— david sessions, The New Republic, "The Meaning of American Factories," 2 Apr. 2018
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

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.