apotheosis

American  

[uh-poth-ee-oh-sis, ap-uh-thee-uh-sis] / əˌpɒθ iˈoʊ sɪs, ˌæp əˈθi ə sɪs /

noun

plural

apotheoses

1. the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god.

2. the ideal example; epitome; quintessence.

   This poem is the apotheosis of lyric expression.

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apotheosis British  

/ əˌpɒθɪˈəʊsɪs /

noun

1. the elevation of a person to the rank of a god; deification

2. glorification of a person or thing

3. a glorified ideal

4. the best or greatest time or event

   the apotheosis of De Niro's career

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Etymology

Origin of apotheosis

1570–80; < Late Latin < Greek. See apo-, theo-, -osis

Example Sentences

Which brings me to what I believe is the modern apotheosis of the genre.

From Salon

The day before Germany’s 1937 “degenerate” art exhibit debuted, Hitler opened another art show, also in Munich — an apotheosis of Germanic taste, the “great German art exhibition.”

From Los Angeles Times

Scripture does not record the birth date of Jesus Christ, and so early Christian scholars spent centuries wrangling over when to celebrate this most important apotheosis.

From Salon

Miller’s magnum opus, “Fury Road” is at once the apotheosis of his cinematic genius — it’s one of the great movies of the last decade — and a departure narratively and tonally from the previous films.

From New York Times

Sunset Sound represents the apotheosis of the recording industry’s heyday.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• embodiment
• epitome
• exemplar
• ideal
• quintessence