god

¹

[ god ]

noun

1. one of several deities, especially a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs. Compare goddess ( def 1 ).
2. an image of a deity; an idol.
3. any deified person or object.
4. a nebulous powerful force imagined to be responsible for one's fate:

   The god of poker dealt me two aces.

5. gods, Theater.
   1. the upper balcony in a theater.
   2. the spectators in this part of the balcony.

verb (used with object)

, god·ded, god·ding.

1. to regard or treat as a god; deify; idolize.

God

²

[ god ]

noun

1. the Supreme Being, worshiped as the creator or ultimate source of the universe.
2. the Supreme Being according to a particular religion or conception:

   She called upon Allah, the God of Islam, for help.

3. the Supreme Being considered with reference to a particular attribute:

   May the God of mercy comfort you.

interjection

1. (used to express disappointment, disbelief, weariness, frustration, annoyance, or the like):

   God, do we have to listen to this nonsense?

god

¹

/ ɡɒd /

noun

1. a supernatural being, who is worshipped as the controller of some part of the universe or some aspect of life in the world or is the personification of some force divine
2. an image, idol, or symbolic representation of such a deity
3. any person or thing to which excessive attention is given

   money was his god

4. a man who has qualities regarded as making him superior to other men
5. in plural the gallery of a theatre

God

²

/ ɡɒd /

noun

1. theol the sole Supreme Being, eternal, spiritual, and transcendent, who is the Creator and ruler of all and is infinite in all attributes; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
2. play God
   play God to behave in an imperious or superior manner

interjection

1. an oath or exclamation used to indicate surprise, annoyance, etc (and in such expressions as My God! or God Almighty! )

Other Words From

• non·god noun
• semi·god noun
• subgod noun
• under·god noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of god¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch god, German Gott, Old Norse goth, Gothic guth

Origin of god²

god ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of god¹

Old English god; related to Old Norse goth, Old High German got, Old Irish guth voice

Idioms and Phrases

• act of god
• for god's sake
• honest to god
• lap of the gods
• mills of gods grind slowly
• my god
• put the fear of god in
• so help me (god)
• thank god
• there but for the grace of god
• tin god

Example Sentences

Over four days, we tallied 160,000 vertical feet of descents—per person—while the weather gods delivered snow and brutal cold.

From Outside Online

Snakes, it appears, may have also whispered beyond the grave, serving as a messenger between the gods and a worshipper.

From Science News

In an interesting note, Yebisu is also the god of jellyfishes, given his initial boneless form.

From Realm of History

Another popular myth pertains to how Amaterasu locked herself in a cave after having a violent altercation with Susanoo, the storm god.

From Realm of History

Venerated as the god of mercy, compassion, and even pets, the deity is revered as a Bodhisattva.

From Realm of History

It is the summit of human happiness: the surrender of man to God, of woman to man, of several women to the same man.

From The Daily Beast

“Personally, I deal with manners of righteousness and God,” he says.

From The Daily Beast

My body used for his hard pleasure; a stone god gripping me in his hands.

From The Daily Beast

Yet, for god knows what reason, his name is never brought up in the “Great American Filmmaker” conversation.

From The Daily Beast

The mythic origin of the feast was the creation of the world by the god Marduk.

From The Daily Beast

The supernaturalist alleges that religion was revealed to man by God, and that the form of this revelation is a sacred book.

From Project Gutenberg

Each religion claims that its own Bible is the direct revelation of God, and is the only true Bible teaching the only true faith.

From Project Gutenberg

Elyon is the name of an ancient Phœnician god, slain by his son El, no doubt the “first-born of death” in Job xviii.

From Project Gutenberg

But if God made man, then God is responsible for all man's acts and thoughts, and therefore man cannot sin against God.

From Project Gutenberg

He felt himself the meanest, vilest thing a-crawl upon this sinful earth, and she—dear God!

From Project Gutenberg