deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ə-tē  ˈdā- 

plural deities

1

a

: the rank or essential nature of a god : divinity

b

capitalized : 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

• divinity
• 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

Along with its amusing study of the surly deity, Kaos reinterprets classic tales of figures such as Eurydice, Ariadne, and Caeneus, with their themes of familial strife, populist rebellion, and the struggle between free will and destiny. —Hannah Giorgis, The Atlantic, 6 Sep. 2024

Cate Blanchett has played queens, prime ministers, psychiatrists, artists, hipsters, thieves, Southern belles, evil stepmothers, Norse deities, Nazis, Katherine Hepburn, Bob Dylan, and an elf. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2024

Near the column were found statues of other creatures, possibly deities, each of which also had a V mark on its neck. —News Desk, Artforum, 8 Aug. 2024

Buddhist and Jain divine figures may hold the lotus in their hand, like the Buddhist goddess Tara or the male Buddhist deity Avalokiteshvara. —Archana Venkatesan, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2024

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

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