god

/gɑd/

/gɒd/

Other forms: gods

A god is a supreme being or deity, and it's spelled with a lowercase g when you're not referring to the God of Christian, Jewish, or Muslim tradition. The ancient Greeks had many gods — including Zeus, Apollo, and Poseidon.

A physical representation of a deity is also called a god. If you go to Hawaii, you can even buy a god in a gift shop — a statue or idol that represents one of the Hawaiian gods, like a figure of the god Pele. The word god also refers to a man of superior quality or exceptional beauty. Elvis Presley was considered a god by many teenage girls in the late 1950s.

Definitions of god
  1. noun
    any supernatural being worshipped as controlling some part of the world or some aspect of life or who is the personification of a force
    synonyms: deity, divinity, immortal
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    examples:
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    Demogorgon
    (Greek mythology) a mysterious and terrifying deity of the underworld
    Hypnos
    (Greek mythology) the Greek god of sleep; the son of Nyx
    Morpheus
    the Roman god of sleep and dreams
    Boddhisatva
    Buddhist worthy of nirvana who postpones it to help others
    Arhant
    a Buddhist who has attained nirvana
    Quetzalcoatl
    an Aztec deity represented as a plumed serpent
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    daemon, demigod
    a person who is part mortal and part god
    sea god
    a deity that personifies the sea and is usually believed to live in or to control the sea
    sun god
    a god that personifies the sun or is otherwise associated with the sun
    Celtic deity
    a deity worshipped by the Celts
    Egyptian deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Egyptians
    Semitic deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Semites
    Hindu deity
    a deity worshipped by the Hindus
    Persian deity
    a deity worshiped by the ancient Persians
    Chinese deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Chinese
    Japanese deity
    a deity worshipped by the Japanese
    goddess
    a female deity
    earth god, earth-god
    a god of fertility and vegetation
    demiurge
    a subordinate deity, in some philosophies the creator of the universe
    Graeco-Roman deity, Greco-Roman deity
    a deity of classical mythology
    Greek deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Greeks
    Roman deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Romans
    Norse deity
    a deity worshipped by the ancient Norsemen
    Teutonic deity
    (German mythology) a deity worshipped by the ancient Teutons
    Anglo-Saxon deity
    (Anglo-Saxon mythology) a deity worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons
    Phrygian deity
    deity of the ancient Phrygians of west central Asia Minor
    saint
    a person who has died and has been declared a saint by canonization
    god of war, war god
    a god worshipped as giving victory in war
    snake god, zombi, zombie
    a god of voodoo cults of African origin worshipped especially in West Indies
    Grace
    (Greek mythology) one of three sisters who were the givers of beauty and charm; a favorite subject for sculptors
    Fomor, Fomorian
    one of a group of Celtic sea demons sometimes associated with the hostile power of nature
    Ler, Lir
    the sea personified; father of Manannan; corresponds to Welsh Llyr
    Llew Llaw Gyffes
    son of Gwydion and Arianrhod; supported by magic of Gwydion; cursed by Arianrhod
    Tuatha De, Tuatha De Danann
    race of Celtic gods or demigods; ruled Ireland in the Golden Age
    Amen, Amon, Amun
    a primeval Egyptian personification of air and breath; worshipped especially at Thebes
    Anunnaki, Enuki
    any of a group of powerful Babylonian earth spirits or genii; servitors of the gods
    Lilith
    in ancient Semitic folklore: a female demon who attacks children
    Aditya
    one of 7 to 12 sons of Aditi; Hindu gods of celestial light
    Ahura
    (Zoroastrianism) title for benevolent deities
    Asvins
    (literally `possessing horses' in Sanskrit) in Hinduism the twin chariot warriors conveying Surya
    Dharma
    basic principles of the cosmos; also: an ancient sage in Hindu mythology worshipped as a god by some lower castes;
    Garuda
    a supernatural eagle-like being that serves as Vishnu's mount
    Marut
    any of a group of Hindu storm gods; offspring of Rudra
    Rhibhus, Ribhus
    one of three artisans of the Hindu gods
    Soma
    personification of a sacred intoxicating drink used in Vedic ritual
    Vajra
    Indra's thunderbolt
    avatar
    the manifestation of a Hindu deity (especially Vishnu) in human or superhuman or animal form
    earth goddess, earth-goddess
    a goddess of fertility and vegetation
    faun
    ancient Italian deity in human shape, with horns, pointed ears and a goat's tail; equivalent to Greek satyr
    Adonis
    (Greek mythology) a handsome youth loved by both Aphrodite and Persephone
    forest god, satyr
    one of a class of woodland deities; attendant on Bacchus; identified with Roman fauns
    silenus
    any of the minor woodland deities who were companions of Dionysus (similar to the satyrs)
    nymph
    (classical mythology) a minor nature goddess usually depicted as a beautiful maiden
    Aether
    personification of the sky or upper air breathed by the Olympians; son of Erebus and night or of Chaos and darkness
    Moirae, Moirai
    any of the three Greek goddesses of fate or destiny; identified with the Roman Parcae and similar to the Norse Norns
    Parcae
    any of the three Roman goddesses of fate or destiny; identified with the Greek Moirai and similar to the Norse Norns
    Muse
    in ancient Greek mythology any of 9 daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne; protector of an art or science
    Pontos, Pontus
    (Greek mythology) ancient personification of the sea; father of Nereus
    Rhadamanthus
    (Greek mythology) a judge of the dead in the underworld
    Latona, Leto
    wife or mistress of Zeus and mother of Apollo and Artemis in ancient mythology; called Latona in Roman mythology
    Aesir
    (Norse mythology) the chief race of gods living at Asgard
    Vanir
    (Norse mythology) race of ancient gods sometimes in conflict with the Aesir
    Nanna
    (Norse mythology) wife of Balder
    Norn, weird sister
    (Norse mythology) any of the three goddesses of destiny; identified with Anglo-Saxon Wyrd; similar to Greek Moirae and Roman Parcae
    Sigyn
    (Norse mythology) wife of Loki; held a cup over him during his punishment to spare him the pain of drops of poison
    Ull, Ullr
    (Norse mythology) one of the Aesir known for his beauty and skill with bow and skis; son of Sif and stepson of Thor
    Vali
    (Norse mythology) one of the Aesir and avenger of Balder; son of Odin
    Vidar, Vithar, Vitharr
    (Norse mythology) one of the Aesir; son of Odin; avenges his parent by slaying Fenrir at Ragnarok
    Weird, Wyrd
    fate personified; any one of the three Weird Sisters
    patron saint
    a saint who is considered to be a defender of some group or nation
    type of:
    spiritual being, supernatural being
    an incorporeal being believed to have powers to affect the course of human events
  2. noun
    a man of such superior qualities that he seems like a deity to other people
    “he was a god among men”
    see moresee less
    type of:
    higher-up, superior, superordinate
    one of greater rank or station or quality
  3. noun
    a material effigy that is worshipped
    “money was his god”
    synonyms: graven image, idol
    see moresee less
    types:
    golden calf
    (Old Testament) an idol made by Aaron for the Israelites to worship; destroyed by Moses; it is now used to refer to anything worshipped undeservedly
    joss
    a Chinese god worshipped in the form of an idol
    Juggernaut
    a crude idol of Krishna
    type of:
    effigy, image, simulacrum
    a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture)
Pronunciation
US

/gɑd/
UK

/gɒd/
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Word Family

Vocabulary lists containing god

Reading: Literature - Mythology - Introductory

If learning about the ancient world feels like a herculean task, review these terms related to Greek and Roman mythology. This epic list will take you on an odyssey through the classical world, where you'll encounter gods and goddesses, all-knowing oracles, and legendary creatures like the centaur.

Reading: Literature - Mythology - Middle School

If learning about the ancient world feels like a herculean task, review these terms related to Greek and Roman mythology. This epic list will take you on an odyssey through the classical world, where you'll encounter gods and goddesses, all-knowing oracles, and legendary creatures like the centaur.

Reading: Literature - Mythology - High School

If learning about the ancient world feels like a herculean task, review these terms related to Greek and Roman mythology. This epic list will take you on an odyssey through the classical world, where you'll encounter gods and goddesses, all-knowing oracles, and legendary creatures like the centaur.

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