myth

1 a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven Synonyms fable, legend, mythos Related Words allegory, parable; fabrication, fantasy (also phantasy), fiction, figment, invention; narrative, saga, story, tale, yarn

2 the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth Synonyms legend, legendry, lore, folklore, mythology, mythos, traditionRelated Words folklife; information, knowledge, wisdom; anecdote, fable, folktale, old wives' tale, tale, yarn

3 a false idea or belief the idea that alligators can live in the sewers of New York is just a myth Synonyms delusion, error, falsehood, falsity, hallucination, illusion, misbelief, misconception, fallacy, old wives' tale, untruthRelated Words factoid; superstition; fiction, pretense (or pretence); distortion, inaccuracy, misapprehension, miscomprehension, misinterpretation, misjudgment, misperception, misunderstanding; misinformation, misknowledge, misreport, misrepresentation, misstatement; sophism, sophistry; fib, half-truth, lie, story, taleAntonyms truth, verity