mythical

American  

[mith-i-kuhl] / ˈmɪθ ɪ kəl /

Also mythic

adjective

1. pertaining to, of the nature of, or involving a myth.

2. dealt with in myth, as a prehistoric period.

3. dealing with myths, as writing.

4. existing only in myth, as a person.

5. without foundation in fact; imaginary; fictitious.

   The explanation was entirely mythical.

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mythical British  

/ ˈmɪθɪk, ˈmɪθɪkəl /

adjective

1. of or relating to myth

2. imaginary or fictitious

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Other Word Forms

• mythically adverb
• mythicalness noun
• nonmythical adjective
• nonmythically adverb
• premythical adjective
• pseudomythical adjective
• pseudomythically adverb
• quasi-mythical adjective
• quasi-mythically adverb
• semimythic adjective
• semimythical adjective
• semimythically adverb
• unmythical adjective
• unmythically adverb

Etymology

Origin of mythical

1670–80; < Late Latin mȳthicus < Greek mȳthikós of myths ( myth, -ic ) + -al ¹

Explanation

Mythical means from myth, fables, or other traditional stories. A mythical story has no basis in historical events. Sometimes someone whose deeds far outshine others is referred to as mythical. There are a number of mythical animals that inhabit stories from around the globe. A white horse with a horn protruding from its forehead, the unicorn, is a mythical beast that is very popular worldwide. Much of Western art takes mythical stories, gods, goddesses, or other spirit creatures as subject matter.

Example Sentences

Yet for all the mythical qualities of Apollo, Jack Kiraly, director of government relations at the Planetary Society, said "nostalgia" perhaps "glosses over some of the issues that the program at the time faced."

From Barron's • Apr. 11, 2026

The original game featured 151 species, but by 2026, about 1,025 had been introduced - all based on real-life animals or mythical creatures.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Von Stuck delights in contrasts: On the “Orpheus wall,” he enthrones the mythical lyre-player above tamed animals in an architectural fresco based on Pompeian murals.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

At the center of this story is a gainfully employed layabout, an unnamed, possibly mythical “friend of a friend.”

From Salon • Jan. 14, 2026

Chicago seemed an unreal city whose mythical houses were built of slabs of black coal wreathed in palls of gray smoke, houses whose foundations were sinking slowly into the dank prairie.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

Related Words

• allegorical
• fabled
• fanciful
• fictitious
• imaginary
• legendary
• mythic
• storied
• unreal
• whimsical