polytheism
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of polytheism
Explanation
Polytheism is belief in many gods — it's kind of the opposite of monotheism, which is belief in one god. If you believe in polytheism, you have a bunch of gods to thank or blame. Though the most widely known religions today — Christianity, Judaism, and Islam — are all examples of monotheism, there have been plenty of religions that preach polytheism. Followers of those religions believe in a pantheon or group of gods, like the ancient Greeks who worshipped Zeus, Athena and the gang. Usually in polytheist religions certain gods are associated with specific things, like war or love.
Vocabulary lists containing polytheism
Ancient Egypt - Introductory
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Ancient Greece - Introductory
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Power Suffix: -ism
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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.
The opera ends with Akhnaten’s son, presumably Tutankhamun, restoring polytheism, and then, once the staging jumps millennia into the future, it’s rediscovered by modern-day tourists.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026
This new religious culture resulted in the neglect of traditional Roman polytheism, and the empire’s eastward shift came at the expense of the western empire.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
Many Bedouin and other seminomadic Arabs practiced polytheism, the worship of many gods and goddesses who were often considered patrons of certain tribes or residents of certain locales.
From Textbooks ● Apr. 19, 2023
A tragicomedy about polytheism starring petty gods who complain like tired parents annoyed by their noisy children.
From Salon ● Apr. 12, 2014
The transition from polytheism to monotheism was only made in Palestine and in the tradition of the Hebrews.
From Outlines of a Philosophy of Religion based on Psychology and History by Auguste Sabatier
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
