deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ə-tē How to pronounce deity (audio) ˈdā- How to pronounce deity (audio)
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 CarsonJ. D. Hart
the deities of the banking world

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 Named Shakti and Shiva for Hindu deities, the streams were likely parts of other galaxies that merged with the Milky Way in its infancy between 12 billion and 13 billion years ago. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 23 Mar. 2024 Forty years ago, four men put on uniforms, came up with a catchy logo — a startled specter in a red circle with a slash going through it, no big whoop — strapped on some proton packs and saved New York City from an evil deity holed up in a penthouse. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024 When archaeologists began to dig up cuneiform texts in the 19th century, a further peculiarity emerged: Esther and her cousin Mordecai shared names with Ishtar and her cousin Marduk, two of the most prominent deities in ancient Mesopotamia. Esther Brownsmith, The Conversation, 21 Mar. 2024 In ancient Egypt, for example, amulets depicted a variety of deities, animals or even everyday objects. Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024 It’s called the Norn cell, named after the Norse deities who were believed to control human fate. Carl Zimmer, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2024 Requests — some granted, others so far ignored — have been made regarding LACMA’s miscellany: to send bronzes back to Benin (as France’s Quai Branly museum has done), deity sculptures back to India, a stone monument back to Mexico, a heraldic screen back to Indigenous Alaskans in Hawaii. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2024 The studio is developing a separate, live-action version with Dwayne Johnson returning as the tattooed deity Maui. Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 8 Feb. 2024 He’s known for a wearing a monkey mask in the ring, which doubles as a tribute to Hanuman, the Hindu deity who once led an army of simians against the ancient forced of evil. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'deity.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of deity was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near deity

Cite this Entry

“Deity.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deity. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

deity

noun
de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ət-ē How to pronounce deity (audio)
plural deities
1
b
capitalized : god sense 1
the Deity
2
Etymology

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

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