pantheon
noun
John Gray Don Lattin Note: Generic use of this sense is rare. The capitalized form Pantheon is the common name of a domed temple in Rome that was begun in 27 b.c. by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa and completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian circa 118-128 a.d. It was dedicated in 609 a.d. as the Church of Santa Maria Rotonda, or Santa Maria ad Martyres.
Stephanie GreenElizabeth DrewAlan ShipnuckMitch FrankNote: Generic use of this sense is rare. The capitalized form Pantheon is used as or in the English-language names of various buildings around the world that are memorials to or resting places for the dead, perhaps most famously the Pantheon (French: Panthéon) of Paris, which was begun circa 1757 by the architect Jacques-Germain Soufflot as the Church of Sainte-Geneviève.
Did you know?
Some of the earliest uses of pantheon in the English language refer to the most famous Pantheon, the circular domed temple built in Rome more than 19 centuries ago (and still standing). We can easily identify the origins of the temple's name, which the Romans borrowed from the Greek word for a temple honoring all their gods. That Greek word, pantheion, combines pan- ("all") and theos ("god"). In today's English, pantheon often refers to all the gods of a particular people (as in "the Egyptian pantheon"), a sense that arose in the 16th century but was rarely used until the 19th century. More often, though, pantheon bears a meaning developed later to refer to the eminent company of the highly venerated, be they human or not. A pantheon of this type includes no deities; it is a group of famous or notable people or things, as in "a book joining the pantheon of great world literature."
Examples of pantheon in a Sentence
Fernanda Pesce,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2026
Pele scored Brazil’s third and fifth goals and, had his career ended then, he would still be comfortably nestled in the World Cup pantheon.
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Will Jeanes,
New York Times,
20 June 2026
Joining Merlin the duck in the pantheon of heart-stealers is Osito, an 8-year-old rescue poodle mix who's become an unlikely sensation after arriving at Mexico’s opening match perched on the back of a cargo bicycle, dressed in a Mexico jersey, sunglasses and a cap.
—
ABC News,
19 June 2026
In a pantheon that the Heat in no way hope next includes Antetokounmpo, there already have been ample letdowns.
—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pantheon
Cite this Entry
“Pantheon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pantheon. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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