demigod
Americannoun
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demigods
plural
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a mythological being who is partly divine and partly human; an inferior deity.
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a deified mortal.
noun
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a mythological being who is part mortal, part god
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a lesser deity
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a person with outstanding or godlike attributes
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of demigod
1520–30; translation of Latin sēmideus. See demi-, god ( def. )
Explanation
A demigod is a divine mythological figure, a god who is either part human, or a minor god. In ancient Greece, dead heroes were sometimes thought of as demigods. Greek and Roman mythology have their share of demigods, and so do many other ancient religions and traditions. The half-divine Heracles, the son of a mortal woman and the god Zeus, is often described as one of the most important demigods in ancient Greece. The word demigod comes from the roots demi, "half," from the Latin dimidius, and god.
Vocabulary lists containing demigod
"The Hero’s Journey" and "Myths and Legends"
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UCPS 6th Grade Roots List #7
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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:
Dwayne Johnson reprises his role as demigod Maui, while the titular heroine will be played by newcomer Catherine Laga’aia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Speaking of the 2016 film, Dwayne Johnson, who voiced the shapeshifter demigod and hero of men in the animated “Moana,” will also portray the live-action version of the arrogant trickster.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2025
Before he was a TV host or culinary demigod, Anthony Bourdain was a writer: sharp-tongued, sensual, and totally unafraid to follow a story wherever it led.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2025
Johnson, a 52-year-old ex-wrestler, voices the part of gregarious demigod Maui in the animation.
From BBC ● Nov. 24, 2024
You cant win, little demigod, she seemed to say.
From "The Son of Neptune" by Rick Riordan
“A lot of people look at Ohio State like they’re demigods, like they’re unbeatable,” Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 1, 2026
Your favorite young demigods hit Hall H to tease the upcoming second season of the fantasy TV series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2025
Ms Rohs says during her time in the church in the 1990s and 2000s, workers were like "demigods" and never questioned, and that callers to the abuse hotline confirm that this culture persists today.
From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2024
Rather than play in the McCaw Hall pit, the musicians will be situated onstage, right in the midst of Wagner’s cosmos of “flawed gods, aspiring demigods and power-mad dwarves,” as Staufenbiel puts it.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 8, 2023
Anybody who robbed innocent demigods with a giant turtle deserved a few nasty curses.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
