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mythology

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noun pl. mythologies

the science or study of myths
a book of or about myths
myths collectively; esp., all the myths of a specific people or about a specific being

See mythology in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(mĭ-thŏlˈə-jē)

noun pl. my·thol·o·gies

a. A body or collection of myths belonging to a people and addressing their origin, history, deities, ancestors, and heroes.
b. A body of myths associated with an event, individual, or institution: “A new mythology, essential to the . . . American funeral rite, has grown up” (Jessica Mitford).
The field of scholarship dealing with the systematic collection and study of myths.

Related Forms:

my·tholˈo·gist noun

See mythology in Ologies

Mythology

See also god and gods.

centauromachy

battle between centaurs or between centaurs and men.

cornucopia

1. Greek Mythology. a horn of plenty, from the hom of the goat Amalthaea that dispensed an endless supply of food, drink, and other riches.

2. any copious or abundant supply or source. —cornucopian, adj.

dryad

a wood nymph.

euhemerism

the belief that the mythological gods were merely legendary kings and heroes deified. —euhemerist, n. —euhemeristic, adj.

hamadryad

a dryad that is the spirit of a particular tree.

limniad, limoniad

Rare. a water nymph or naiad.

mythicism

the attribution of supernatural events to mythological causes.

mythicist

1. a student of myths.

2. an interpreter of myths.

mythoclast

an opponent of myths. — mythoclastic, adj.

mythogenesis

1. the establishment and development of myths.

2. the tendency to create myths or to give mythical status to a person or event. Also called mythogeny. —mythogenetic, adj.

mythography

1. the collecting of myths.

2. the recording of myths in writing.

3. a critical collection of myths. —mythographer, mythographist, n.

mythologem

a recurrent pattern, event, or theme in myths, as an explanation of the change of seasons; folklore motifs.

mythologer

a narrator of myths and legends.

mythology

1. a body of stories relating the traditional origins and causes of the world, natural forces and phenomena, and cultural developments, as that of a particular people or relating to a particular person.

2. a collection of myths.

3. the science of myths. —mythologist, n. —mythological, adj.

mythopoesis

the creation of myths. —mythopoeist, n. —mythopoeic, adj.

mythos

1. myth.

2. mythology.

3. the interrelationship of value structures and historical experiences of a people, usually given expression through the arts.

naiad

a nymph or spirit of rivers and streams.

Oceanid

any of the daughters of Oceanus and Tethys; a sea nymph.