deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ə-tē  ˈdā- 

plural deities

1

a

: the rank or essential nature of a god or goddess : divinity

b

Deity : god sense 1, supreme being

2

: a god (see god entry 1 sense 2) or goddess

the deities of ancient Greece

3

: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful

… such established American deities as Daniel Boone, Kit Carson …

—J. D. Hart

the deities of the banking world

Synonyms of deity

• god

Examples of deity in a Sentence

to the ancient Greeks, Zeus was the deity who ruled over the sky and weather, and Poseidon was god of the sea

we prayed to the Deity for guidance

Recent Examples on the Web

The smiling, amiable android understands very little about her surroundings, believing that the sun (which recharges her batteries) is a deity that listens to her prayers to be chosen by a human. — Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Klara, whose philosophical raptures treat the Sun as a living deity and who is also capable of parroting any human’s voice or temperament on command, becomes fast friends with the girl. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026

Behbeit El-Hagar is a significant archaeological site, best known for the remains of a monumental temple dedicated to the Egyptian deity Isis. — News Desk, Artforum, 15 Oct. 2026

In 18th century Morelia, a mestizo woman, the lady of an estate, invokes an ancestral deity in search for a for her husband’s syphilis, passed on to her. — John Hopewell, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deitee, from Anglo-French deité, from Late Latin deitat-, deitas, from Latin deus god; akin to Old English Tīw, god of war, Latin divus god, dies day, Greek dios heavenly, Sanskrit deva heavenly, god

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for deity

• contemporaneity
• heterogeneity
• inhomogeneity
• homogeneity
• simultaneity
• spontaneity

Kids Definition

deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ət-ē 

plural deities

1

a

: divinity sense 2

b

capitalized : god sense 1

the Deity

2

a

: god sense 2

b

: goddess sense 1

Etymology

Middle English deitee "the nature of being divine," from early French deité (same meaning), derived from Latin deus "god" — related to adieu, adios