myth

noun

ˈmith

: a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon

creation myths

: parable, allegory

Moral responsibility is the motif of Plato's myths.

: a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone

especially : one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society

seduced by the American myth of individualism

Orde Coombs

the utopian myth of a perfect society

: an unfounded or false notion

the myth of racial superiority

: a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence

the Superman myth

The unicorn is a myth.

: the whole body of myths

a student of Greek myth

Did you know?

Myth and Urban Myth

For a word so often applied to events or stories from long, long ago, myth has a remarkably recent history in the English language. The earliest evidence for the word is from 1830, well after the time when the events themselves are thought to have occurred (though it should be noted that the related words mythology and mythic are hundreds of years older – still not as old as Achilles, but not young, either!). One application of myth, however – in the phrase urban myth – is quite new. Curiously, an urban myth does not usually have anything to do with the city: it is simply “a story about an unusual event or occurrence that many people believe is true but that is not true.” An example would be the tale that Elvis Presley is still alive after spending decades in a witness protection program. The phrase urban myth has been used to describe such hoaxes since at least 1971.

Example Sentences

It's an enduring myth that money brings happiness. I don't believe the myths and legends about this forest. Contrary to popular myth, no monster lives in this lake.

Recent Examples on the Web The book project is Hancock’s attempt to give his unwieldy myth narrative — the Moundverse — a linear structure.

Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2022 The myth-making is built in to these larger, cultural events, D’Ambrose suggests; by contrast, the Damrosches and Orkins, like most every other American family, are left to their own improvisations.

Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Sep. 2022 Queen Elizabeth’s glorious and long reign forced that myth to be reconsidered.

Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 14 Sep. 2022 There's this Greek myth about Eos, the goddess of dawn.

Faran Krentcil, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 Sep. 2022 That myth has been used to say this is why there is an underrepresentation of Blacks in the education profession today.

Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2022 Thankfully there aren’t any explosions, as this space myth suggests.

Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 Aug. 2022 Even better, Jawara says the Airwrap is perfect for hair anywhere longer than 5 inches — debunking yet another myth that Dyson only works for length.

Blake Newby, Essence, 19 Aug. 2022 The myth of the modern teenage vampire took root with Joel Shumacher's stylish yet droll teenspolitation flick, without which there would be no Twilight and certainly no Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 See More

Kids Definition

myth

noun

ˈmith

: a story often describing the adventures of beings with more than human powers that attempts to explain mysterious events (as the changing of the seasons) or that explains a religious belief or practice

: such stories as a group

: a person or thing existing only in the imagination

The dragon is a myth.

: a popular belief that is not true

It's just a myth that money can buy happiness.

myth

noun

as in legend

a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

legend
fable
mythos
tale
story
allegory
fiction
fantasy
parable
narrative
fabrication
saga
figment
invention
phantasy
yarn

as in mythology

the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth

Synonyms & Similar Words

mythology
folklore
tradition
lore
legend
mythos
legendry
information
tale
anecdote
folktale
knowledge
folklife
fable
wisdom
yarn
old wives' tale

as in illusion

a false idea or belief the idea that alligators can live in the sewers of New York is just a myth

Synonyms & Similar Words

illusion
delusion
superstition
error
misconception
fallacy
misunderstanding
falsehood
misbelief
untruth
tale
hallucination
falsity
fiction
lie
distortion
pretense
misperception
factoid
story
misinformation
misinterpretation
misrepresentation
old wives' tale
miscomprehension
misapprehension
inaccuracy
sophism
misstatement
sophistry
half-truth
misjudgment
pretence
fib
misreport
misknowledge

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

truth
verity

单词	myth
释义	myth noun ˈmith 1 a : a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon creation myths b : parable, allegory Moral responsibility is the motif of Plato's myths. 2 a : a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone especially : one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society seduced by the American myth of individualism Orde Coombs the utopian myth of a perfect society b : an unfounded or false notion the myth of racial superiority 3 : a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence the Superman myth The unicorn is a myth. 4 : the whole body of myths a student of Greek myth Did you know? Myth and Urban Myth For a word so often applied to events or stories from long, long ago, myth has a remarkably recent history in the English language. The earliest evidence for the word is from 1830, well after the time when the events themselves are thought to have occurred (though it should be noted that the related words mythology and mythic are hundreds of years older – still not as old as Achilles, but not young, either!). One application of myth, however – in the phrase urban myth – is quite new. Curiously, an urban myth does not usually have anything to do with the city: it is simply “a story about an unusual event or occurrence that many people believe is true but that is not true.” An example would be the tale that Elvis Presley is still alive after spending decades in a witness protection program. The phrase urban myth has been used to describe such hoaxes since at least 1971. Synonyms fable legend mythos See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences It's an enduring myth that money brings happiness. I don't believe the myths and legends about this forest. Contrary to popular myth, no monster lives in this lake. Recent Examples on the Web The book project is Hancock’s attempt to give his unwieldy myth narrative — the Moundverse — a linear structure. Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2022 The myth-making is built in to these larger, cultural events, D’Ambrose suggests; by contrast, the Damrosches and Orkins, like most every other American family, are left to their own improvisations. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Sep. 2022 Queen Elizabeth’s glorious and long reign forced that myth to be reconsidered. Stellene Volandes, Town & Country, 14 Sep. 2022 There's this Greek myth about Eos, the goddess of dawn. Faran Krentcil, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 Sep. 2022 That myth has been used to say this is why there is an underrepresentation of Blacks in the education profession today. Chelsea Sheasley, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Sep. 2022 Thankfully there aren’t any explosions, as this space myth suggests. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 28 Aug. 2022 Even better, Jawara says the Airwrap is perfect for hair anywhere longer than 5 inches — debunking yet another myth that Dyson only works for length. Blake Newby, Essence, 19 Aug. 2022 The myth of the modern teenage vampire took root with Joel Shumacher's stylish yet droll teenspolitation flick, without which there would be no Twilight and certainly no Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 27 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology earlier mythos, mythus, borrowed from Greek mŷthos "utterance, speech, discourse, tale, narrative, fiction, legend," of obscure origin First Known Use 1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing myth counter-myth self-perpetuating myth counter-myth self-perpetuating myth Kids Definition myth noun ˈmith 1 : a story often describing the adventures of beings with more than human powers that attempts to explain mysterious events (as the changing of the seasons) or that explains a religious belief or practice 2 : such stories as a group 3 : a person or thing existing only in the imagination The dragon is a myth. 4 : a popular belief that is not true It's just a myth that money can buy happiness. myth noun 1 as in legend a traditional but unfounded story that gives the reason for a current custom, belief, or fact of nature according to an ancient Greek myth, humans acquired fire from Prometheus, a Titan who had stolen it from heaven Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance legend fable mythos tale story allegory fiction fantasy parable narrative fabrication saga figment invention phantasy yarn 2 as in mythology the body of customs, beliefs, stories, and sayings associated with a people, thing, or place over the years Davy Crockett evolved from an actual person to one of the great figures of American myth Synonyms & Similar Words mythology folklore tradition lore legend mythos legendry information tale anecdote folktale knowledge folklife fable wisdom yarn old wives' tale 3 as in illusion a false idea or belief the idea that alligators can live in the sewers of New York is just a myth Synonyms & Similar Words illusion delusion superstition error misconception fallacy misunderstanding falsehood misbelief untruth tale hallucination falsity fiction lie distortion pretense misperception factoid story misinformation misinterpretation misrepresentation old wives' tale miscomprehension misapprehension inaccuracy sophism misstatement sophistry half-truth misjudgment pretence fib misreport misknowledge Antonyms & Near Antonyms truth verity
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myth

noun

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing myth

Kids Definition

noun

noun