god
1 Americannoun
-
one of several deities, especially a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs.
-
an image of a deity; an idol.
-
any deified person or object.
-
a nebulous powerful force imagined to be responsible for one's fate.
The god of poker dealt me two aces.
-
Theater. gods,
-
the upper balcony in a theater.
-
the spectators in this part of the balcony.
-
verb (used with object)
noun
-
the Supreme Being, worshiped as the creator or ultimate source of the universe.
-
the Supreme Being according to a particular religion or conception.
She called upon Allah, the God of Islam, for help.
-
the Supreme Being considered with reference to a particular attribute.
May the God of mercy comfort you.
interjection
noun
-
a supernatural being, who is worshipped as the controller of some part of the universe or some aspect of life in the world or is the personification of some force
-
an image, idol, or symbolic representation of such a deity
-
any person or thing to which excessive attention is given
money was his god
-
a man who has qualities regarded as making him superior to other men
-
(in plural) the gallery of a theatre
noun
-
theol the sole Supreme Being, eternal, spiritual, and transcendent, who is the Creator and ruler of all and is infinite in all attributes; the object of worship in monotheistic religions
-
to behave in an imperious or superior manner
interjection
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of god1
First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch god, German Gott, Old Norse goth, Gothic guth
Origin of God2
see origin at god ( def. )
Explanation
A god is a supreme being or deity, and it's spelled with a lowercase g when you're not referring to the God of Christian, Jewish, or Muslim tradition. The ancient Greeks had many gods — including Zeus, Apollo, and Poseidon. A physical representation of a deity is also called a god. If you go to Hawaii, you can even buy a god in a gift shop — a statue or idol that represents one of the Hawaiian gods, like a figure of the god Pele. The word god also refers to a man of superior quality or exceptional beauty. Elvis Presley was considered a god by many teenage girls in the late 1950s.
Vocabulary lists containing god
Reading: Literature - Mythology - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Reading: Literature - Mythology - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Ancient Greece: Mythology and Literature - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
For the Hopi, Spider Woman takes the imaginings of the sun god and weaves them into being; she is the source of all life and the guardian of the dead.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
If, god forbid, there’s a natural disaster in L.A. in the near future, Jena Malone might be one of your first responders.
From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026
On the first, priests tie a sacred thread around the necks of the transgender devotees, symbolising their marriage to the Hindu warrior god Aravan.
From Barron's • May 3, 2026
He could be heard saying "oh my god" when the cue ball did not run through as expected.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
On it were six crudely carved wooden figurines of animals—a heron, a crocodile, a jackal, a serpent, a dove, and a hippo—one familiar for each god.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
![]()
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.