mythological
Americanadjective
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of or relating to mythology
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mythical
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mythological
1605–15; < Late Latin mȳthologic ( us ) < Greek mȳthologikós ( see mythology, -ic) + -al 1
Explanation
Anything mythological is related to a fable, legend, or other traditional story. As much as some of us don’t want to admit it, mythological creatures aren't real. A mythology is a collection of traditional stories about characters such as deities, heroes, and fanciful creatures. Anything related to a mythology is mythological. Creatures such as unicorns and the Kraken are mythological, as are elves, dragons, and goblins. This word applies to beings and events that can't be verified by facts. Something mythological can also be described as mythic, mythical, or mythologic.
Vocabulary lists containing mythological
Reading: Literature - Middle School
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Reading: Literature - High School
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Willie Mays (1931–2024) Tribute List
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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.
Refn and co-screenwriter Esti Giordani seem to see Elle as a mythological tragic hero, equal parts Electra and Oedipus.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
His farm in a meadow close by the village of Sofiytsi in southern Bulgaria backs onto the wooded slopes of the mountain range associated with the mythological musician Orpheus.
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
Actress Lupita Nyong'o has told people who have criticised her casting as Helen of Troy in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey to remember that "this is a mythological story".
From BBC ● May 22, 2026
That distinction is especially relevant in discussions surrounding “The Odyssey,” a mythological epic that has been reimagined across centuries through theater, literature, film and visual art.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
Anyway, on the Maple River I drew into a little copse, of sycamores I think, that overhung the stream, and paused to lick my mythological wounds.
From "Travels with Charley in Search of America" by John Steinbeck
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.
