deity

Meanings

1. 1nouncountablereligionformal

   A god or goddess that is worshipped.

   Grammar: Countable: a deity, many deities.

   Patterns

   • a deity of something
   • worship a deity

   Athena was the Greek deity of wisdom.

   The temple was built to honor a local deity.

   Ancient farmers prayed to deities of rain and harvest.

2. 2noununcountablereligionformal

   The state or nature of being divine.

   Grammar: Usually with the: the deity of Christ.

   Patterns

   • the deity of someone

   Theologians debated the deity of Christ.

   The pharaoh's claimed deity gave his rule force.

3. 3nouncountablefigurativehumorous

   Someone or something treated with excessive devotion.

   Grammar: Figurative and often humorous.

   Patterns

   • treat someone like a deity

   The band's fans treated the singer like a deity.

   For many, money has become a modern deity.

Word forms

Common combinations

ancient deity

An ancient deity was carved in the stone.

pagan deity

The festival honored a pagan deity.

Hindu deity

Ganesh is a popular Hindu deity.

worship a deity

They worship a river deity.

household deity

A household deity protected the family.

Synonyms and how they differ

god

God is the plain, common word, and when capitalized refers to the single God of monotheistic religions, while deity covers gods in any religion.

divinity

Divinity is the quality of being divine or a divine being, and is a little more abstract.

goddess

Goddess is specifically female, while deity can refer to either.

idol

An idol is an image worshipped, or a person admired deeply, not the being itself.

Opposites

Word family

deities noun

plural of deity

divine adjective

relating to a god

deify verb

to treat as a god

deism noun

belief in a creator god who does not intervene

Commonly confused: deity or diety? deity or dietary?

Practice

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