mythological
Americanadjective
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of or relating to mythology
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mythical
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mythological
1605–15; < Late Latin mȳthologic ( us ) < Greek mȳthologikós ( see mythology, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
Anything mythological is related to a fable, legend, or other traditional story. As much as some of us don’t want to admit it, mythological creatures aren't real. A mythology is a collection of traditional stories about characters such as deities, heroes, and fanciful creatures. Anything related to a mythology is mythological. Creatures such as unicorns and the Kraken are mythological, as are elves, dragons, and goblins. This word applies to beings and events that can't be verified by facts. Something mythological can also be described as mythic, mythical, or mythologic.
Vocabulary lists containing mythological
Reading: Literature - Middle School
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Reading: Literature - High School
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Willie Mays (1931–2024) Tribute List
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Specific fluid visual structures shifting across the walls have been formally classified as “Ruwe Pinu” by tribal leader Nixiwaka, referring to an ancient mythological entity that appears in ancestral cosmology.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
Actress Lupita Nyong'o has told people who have criticised her casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey to remember that "this is a mythological story".
From BBC • May 22, 2026
That distinction is especially relevant in discussions surrounding “The Odyssey,” a mythological epic that has been reimagined across centuries through theater, literature, film and visual art.
From Salon • May 16, 2026
While cattle dominate Ireland's mythological traditions, goats tend to appear in local customs, place names, and seasonal practices.
From Science Daily • Feb. 26, 2026
Once Socrates, the great Athenian teacher, who lived hundreds of years, thousands, perhaps, after the mythological stories were first told, went on a walk with a young man he was fond of named Phaedrus.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
