deity

[ dee-i-tee ]

noun

, plural de·i·ties.

1. a god or goddess.
2. divine character or nature, especially that of the Supreme Being; divinity.
3. the estate or rank of a god:

   The king attained deity after his death.

4. a person or thing revered as a god or goddess:

   a society in which money is the only deity.

5. the De·i·ty, God; Supreme Being.

deity

¹

/ ˈdeɪtɪ; ˈdiːɪ- /

noun

1. a god or goddess
2. the state of being divine; godhead
3. the rank, status, or position of a god
4. the nature or character of God

Deity

²

/ ˈdeɪtɪ; ˈdiːɪ- /

noun

1. the Deity
   the Supreme Being; God

Other Words From

• su·per·de·i·ty noun plural superdeities

Word History and Origins

Origin of deity¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English deite, from Old French, from Late Latin deitāt- (stem of deitās ), equivalent to Latin dei- (combining form of deus “god”) + -tāt- -ty ², formed after Latin dīvīnitās divinity

Word History and Origins

Origin of deity¹

C14: from Old French, from Late Latin deitās, from Latin deus god

Example Sentences

Her image is projected like that of a deity’s.

From Los Angeles Times

“I sat before the deity and told him he needed to find a solution and he gave it to me,” he said.

From BBC

Looking elegantly windblown in a sweater, her mass of hair cascading like the precious garland of some Irish deity, Farrow has a tendency to trail off in conversation.

From Los Angeles Times

In 1970, the giant gold-plated necklace engraved with precious stones went missing from the Temple of Taleju - the goddess known as the chief protective deity of Nepal.

From BBC

Festival participants wore costumes made from animal skins and lighted huge fires to burn crops as a sacrifice to the deities.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• divinity
• idol
• immortal