deity
noun
a god or goddess.
deity
American
[dee-i-tee]
/ ˈdi ɪ ti /
noun
-
deities
plural
-
a god or goddess.
-
divine character or nature, especially that of the Supreme Being; divinity.
-
the estate or rank of a god.
The king attained deity after his death.
-
a person or thing revered as a god or goddess.
a society in which money is the only deity.
-
the Deity, God; Supreme Being.
deity
1
British
/ ˈdeɪtɪ, ˈdiːɪ- /
noun
-
a god or goddess
-
the state of being divine; godhead
-
the rank, status, or position of a god
-
the nature or character of God
Deity
2
British
/ ˈdeɪtɪ, ˈdiːɪ- /
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of deity
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English deite, from Old French, from Late Latin deitāt- (stem of deitās ), equivalent to Latin dei- (combining form of deus “god”) + -tāt- -ty 2, formed after Latin dīvīnitās divinity
Explanation
A deity is a supernatural being, like a god or goddess, that is worshipped by people who believe it controls or exerts force over some aspect of the world. The word deity means "divine nature." It was coined by Saint Augustine, a theologian whose writings were very influential in the shaping of Western Christianity. Deity comes from the Latin word for "god": deus. The divine nature of deities is believed to be immortal goodness and powerfulness.
Vocabulary lists containing deity
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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.
See Examples For:
Elephants are protected by law, are named as India's "national heritage animal", and many followers of the elephant-headed Hindu deity Ganesh see the animals as sacred.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Many Hindus believe Ayodhya to be the birthplace of deity Ram.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
It was designed in the shape of Quetzalcoatl, or the “Feathered Serpent,” an Aztec deity and symbol of rebirth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
As the exhibition text explains, “In ancient Egypt, the terrace before the temple functioned as an open meeting place between the deity and larger crowds.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
After the long, torchlit approach, walking straight into the gaze of the snarling deity, mysterious bellows reverberating off the stone, the oracular declamation from above must have been spine-chilling.
From "1491" by Charles C. Mann
“While I am far from perfect, let me be clear: I believe Jesus was born of a virgin. I believe in the Deity of Christ as the only Son of God.”
From Washington Times ● Feb. 3, 2022
Johannah Kathleen Chase and Tim Allen Coates were married April 21 at Deity, an events space in Brooklyn.
From New York Times ● Apr. 22, 2018
Only then did Carroll and Allison share the news of their new business, Deity Skin Care, with clients who came in for appointments.
From Time ● Aug. 5, 2015
Then Eve declared, “Each creature hath a mate But me, and, Deity, I’m getting bored!”
From Washington Post ● May 13, 2015
And since I had been born in a Christian nation, I accepted this Deity as the only one.
From "The Fire Next Time" by James Baldwin
There’s a sense of childlike play in the work, but also an aura of the mythic, bringing to mind animal deities who hide deep in the wilds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
This mix indicates that the sanctuary likely served as an important regional center where multiple deities were honored.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 5, 2026
Many devotees also believe the festival honours the divine love of Hindu deities Radha and Krishna.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
Krampus likely evolved from older, pre-Christian deities, just as Christmas absorbed solstice and midwinter customs, the author explained.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 25, 2025
Four or five paragraphs were devoted to detailing the theater design—Oriental deities, minarets, hanging rugs, burning incense.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
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.
