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:
He told Modi that during the ordeal, he had recited a Hindu devotional prayer dedicated to the deity Hanuman.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Machchhar told Modi that during the ordeal, he had recited a Hindu devotional prayer dedicated to the deity Hanuman.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
The Strait of Hormuz is, by some accounts, named for a Zoroastrian deity destined to emerge victorious after a 9,000-year standoff with an adversary.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
Many Hindus believe Ayodhya to be the birthplace of deity Ram.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
A benevolent deity could thus be shown to have created both the universe and humankind.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
“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
Alexandra Villamia Drimal and Samuel John Barr were married Aug. 4 at Deity, an events space in Brooklyn.
From New York Times ● Aug. 5, 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
No, no, if that visible Deity shine upon Man, it’s by accident, as the King’s Flamboy by accident lightens a Porter that walks along the Street…
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
But in the 1960s, she fused her mandala-faces and landscapes into dense, mysterious worlds—relief-like frontal fields in which deities, animals and foliage, woven together, blossom and interchange between figure and ground.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Hindus regard Kailash as the abode of deities Shiva and Parvati, while Tibetan Buddhists associate it with Mount Meru, which they say is the centre of the universe.
From Barron's ● Aug. 28, 2026
When Hollywood deities Grace Kelly and Cary Grant were shown cruising along the French Riviera in a beautiful, sleek Sunbeam Alpine in To Catch a Thief, for example, they epitomised silver-screen elegance and savoir-faire.
From BBC ● Jun. 14, 2026
The sculptures stand as both witnesses and deities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 12, 2026
With a rush of wings and paws, the celestial mounts disappeared, called back to the deities they served.
From "Aru Shah and the End of Time" by Roshani Chokshi
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.
