mythology

American  

[mi-thol-uh-jee] / mɪˈθɒl ə dʒi /

noun

plural

mythologies

1. a body of myths, as that of a particular people or that relating to a particular person.

   Greek mythology.

2. myths collectively.

3. the science or study of myths.

4. a set of stories, traditions, or beliefs associated with a particular group or the history of an event, arising naturally or deliberately fostered.

   the Fascist mythology of the interwar years.

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mythology British  

/ mɪˈθɒlədʒɪ /

noun

1. a body of myths, esp one associated with a particular culture, institution, person, etc

2. a body of stories about a person, institution, etc

   the mythology of Hollywood

3. myths collectively

4. the study or collecting of myths

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mythology Cultural  

1. The body of myths belonging to a culture. Myths are traditional stories about gods and heroes. They often account for the basic aspects of existence — explaining, for instance, how the Earth was created, why people have to die, or why the year is divided into seasons. Classical mythology — the myths of the ancient Greeks and Romans — has had an enormous influence on European and American culture.

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Etymology

Origin of mythology

1375–1425; late Middle English mythologie < Late Latin mȳthologia < Greek mȳthología. See mytho-, -logy

Example Sentences

You then tend to have groupthink and bubbles that form, bubbles that are associated with their own kinds of mythologies and ideologies.

From Salon

He asked, “Are there dead deers in mythology that are significant?”

From The Wall Street Journal

I wanted to ask him if he’d sign this book, which had now begun to write its own mythology as it sat sentinel over his other signed books on the shelf behind me.

From Los Angeles Times

American mythology, especially, loves an underdog story — the overlooked fighter, the underestimated woman, the scrappy nobody who turns out to have teeth.

From Salon

When the show really works for us is when we can combine both our mythology and the supernatural with the emotional.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• belief
• legend
• lore
• tradition