god

[ god ]

noun

one of several deities, especially a male deity, presiding over some portion of worldly affairs.: Compare goddess (def. 1).
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.
gods, Theater.
- the upper balcony in a theater.
- the spectators in this part of the balcony.

verb (used with object),god·ded, god·ding.

to regard or treat as a god; deify; idolize.

Origin of god

First recorded before 900; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Dutch god, German Gott, Old Norse goth, Gothic guth

Other words from god

non·god, noun
sem·i·god, noun
subgod, noun
un·der·god, noun

Other definitions for God (2 of 2)

God

[ god ]

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

(used to express disappointment, disbelief, weariness, frustration, annoyance, or the like): God, do we have to listen to this nonsense?

Origin of God

see origin at god

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use god in a sentence

Given the somewhat macabre origins of the feast, many of the celebrations were designed to placate the gods.
New Year’s Eve, Babylon Style | Candida Moss | December 31, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
In Greek mythology, the species became associated with numerous gods.
The History of the Chicken: How This Humble Bird Saved Humanity | William O’Connor | December 27, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
This puts them at odds with the countless polytheistic religions, where many gods compete for prominence.
Does Pope Francis Believe Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God? | Jay Parini | December 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
While many Hawaiians still secretly worshipped the old gods, kapu was dead as a public pillar of the social structure.
How Haoles Destroyed Hawaii | Wendy Smith | December 7, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Biological variation was celebrated in the pantheon of the gods.
Intersexuality and God Through the Ages | Candida Moss | November 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Under all man's dreams of eternal gods and eternal heavens lies man's passion for the eternal feminine.
God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
Have any of the gods of the nations delivered their land out of the hand of the king of the Assyrians?
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version | Various
The names of the gods of the heathen were not even to be mentioned; and hence were not to be used in making an oath.
The Ordinance of Covenanting | John Cunningham
But very many kings, kings' sons, son-gods, and heroes had been crucified ages before Him.
God and my Neighbour | Robert Blatchford
The drunken Man staggered to his feet, and hiccupped vehemently in the face of the assembled Gods.
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II | Rudyard Kipling

British Dictionary definitions for god (1 of 2)

god

/ (ɡɒd) /

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: Related adjective: divine
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

Origin of god

Old English god; related to Old Norse goth, Old High German got, Old Irish guth voice

British Dictionary definitions for God (2 of 2)

God

/ (ɡɒd) /

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
play God to behave in an imperious or superior manner

interjection

an oath or exclamation used to indicate surprise, annoyance, etc (and in such expressions as My God! or God Almighty!)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with god

god

In addition to the idioms beginning with god

God forbid
God knows

also see:

act of god
for god's sake
honest to god
lap of the gods
mills of gods grind slowly
my god
put the fear of god in
so help me (god)
thank god
there but for the grace of god
tin god

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