myth

¹ American  

[mith] / mɪθ /

noun

1. a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature.

2. stories or matter of this kind.

   realm of myth.

3. any invented story, idea, or concept.

   His account of the event is pure myth.

   Synonyms:

   fantasy, fiction

4. an imaginary or fictitious thing or person.

5. an unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution.

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myth. ² American  

abbreviation

1. mythological.

2. mythology.

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myth ¹ British  

/ mɪθ /

noun

1. 1. a story about superhuman beings of an earlier age taken by preliterate society to be a true account, usually of how natural phenomena, social customs, etc, came into existence

   2. another word for mythology mythology

2. a person or thing whose existence is fictional or unproven

3. (in modern literature) a theme or character type embodying an idea

   Hemingway's myth of the male hero

4. philosophy (esp in the writings of Plato) an allegory or parable

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myth. ² British  

abbreviation

1. mythological

2. mythology

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Related Words

See legend.

Other Word Forms

• countermyth noun

Etymology

Origin of myth

First recorded in 1820–30; from Late Latin mȳthus, from Greek mŷthos “story, word”

Example Sentences

Perhaps the biggest myth that has been busted so far: During its early days, bitcoin was said to be a hedge against fiscal excess, government money-printing and inflation.

From MarketWatch

Massie's work cleverly engaged the reader in big ideas – imperialism, the clash between personal relationships and ideological movements, myth and reality in the stories we tell ourselves about political leaders – while never forgetting to entertain.

From BBC

The research team began reviewing folk songs, poems, and myths written or performed in Marathi, some dating back to the 13th century.

From Science Daily

“And he’s a Greek myth, so he didn’t actually do anything.”

From Literature

The first myth Mr. Newman challenges is the romantic notion that isolation breeds originality.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• fable
• fantasy
• fiction
• illusion
• imagination
• legend
• lore
• parable
• superstition
• tale
• tradition