goddess

American  

[god-is] / ˈgɒd ɪs /

noun

• goddesses
  plural

1. a female god or deity.

2. Also called Triple Goddess.  Goddess. (in Neopaganism) a triune female deity whose individual forms represent the different phases of life and growth.

3. a woman of extraordinary beauty and charm.

4. a greatly admired or adored woman.

   a domestic goddess who hosts lavish dinner parties.

---

goddess British  

/ ˈɡɒdɪs /

noun

1. a female divinity

2. a woman who is adored or idealized, esp by a man

---

Gender

See -ess .

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• goddesshood
  noun
• goddessship
  noun
• supergoddess
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• goddesses
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

goddess goddesses

The future of the imperial household -- mythically descended from the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu -- depends currently on Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old nephew of Emperor Naruhito, 66.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

The other actor whose presence deeply impacted the production, Nolan reports, is Samantha Morton, mesmerizing as Circe, the goddess who changes Odysseus’ men into swine.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026

Among the most extraordinary examples is the "Amaterasu particle," which was detected by the Telescope Array in Utah in 2021 and named for the sun goddess in Japanese mythology.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026

Holland's partner in real life, Zendaya, plays the goddess Athena in the mythological movie, which also features Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Mia Goth as Melantho and Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus.

From BBC ● May 5, 2026

The goddess folded her hands before speaking again.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray

“Classical Body,” which pairs Attic vases and flasks with a series of fluted Grecian gowns elevated above—super-model goddesses in pale gold—sets the aspirational yet unforgiving female physical ideal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 9, 2026

Millennial women, raised on platitudes that one person could change the world, really tried—and some of them, thank the goddesses, succeeded.

From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2026

But not all of the artist’s works have a gourmet bent — she also creates celestial goddesses and nature-inspired divas, and made a series devoted to the Major Arcana of tarot.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 25, 2026

It treats its female protagonists like full human beings instead of objects, or girlbossed-beyond-personhood goddesses, or a pile of tropes that AI would compile.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2025

I run toward it, gazing at the brightly painted sculptures of many-armed gods and goddesses decorating the roof.

From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman

Related Words

• divinity
• idol
• immortal