goddess
Americannoun
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goddesses
plural
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a female god or deity.
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Also called Triple Goddess. Goddess. (in Neopaganism) a triune female deity whose individual forms represent the different phases of life and growth.
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a woman of extraordinary beauty and charm.
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a greatly admired or adored woman.
a domestic goddess who hosts lavish dinner parties.
noun
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a female divinity
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a woman who is adored or idealized, esp by a man
Gender
See -ess .
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of goddess
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English; see origin at god , -ess
Explanation
In mythology, a goddess is a female god. Aphrodite, for example, is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. Many religions have female deities or goddesses, including the ancient Romans and Greeks, traditional African religions, and Hinduism. Some well-known goddesses include Juno, Gaia, and Lakshmi. If you know a woman who seems as beautiful, powerful, or amazing as a god, you can also call her a goddess. Using the word for mortals first came into fashion in the late 16th century.
Vocabulary lists containing goddess
World Religions
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Reading: Literature - Mythology - Introductory
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The Stone Age - Middle School and High School
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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:
The largest sportswear brand on the planet, named after the ancient Greek goddess of victory, has been losing of late.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
She went on to become an icon, legend, goddess and what they were calling her all over social media, the earth angel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Her novel “Blonde” also stripped the agency from love goddess Marilyn Monroe and its own 2022 movie adaptation launched a thousand hot takes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
"Do you know about the goddess phones?" she asked, sitting down in what she called her "throne" next to a collection of bejewelled old-fashioned telephones.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
“It took control of you. The goddess sent me to give you a little bit of help to make you expel it.”
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Not for another three years did the complementary goddesses arrive, though when they did critics would conclude that they had been worth the wait.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 8, 2026
“The exhibitions trace the evolution of human culture through storytelling, from ancient sculptures of gods and goddesses to Renaissance paintings to photographs, comics and modern cinema,” the release says.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026
He played queens, courtesans, goddesses and brothel madams with a studied grace.
From BBC ● Apr. 4, 2026
We can all practice speaking to persuade, not degrade, listening with an open heart and a curious mind, and remembering that we are not gods or goddesses.
From Slate ● Jan. 2, 2026
“Gods and goddesses may occasionally help, but they don’t mess around with affairs that affect only humans. To them, mortal lives are but a speck of dust on the eyelash.”
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.
