deity

IPA/ˈdeɪ.ɪ.ti/
KK[dˈiəti]IPA/ˈdiː.ə.t̬i/

deity — noun

  • deitysingular
  • deitiesplural

1. a powerful sacred being that people worship in a religion or mythology, often in

1.nounC1
Definition

a powerful sacred being that people worship in a religion or mythology, often in connection with one part of life or nature.

Example

Children in the village left fruit for the river deity at dawn.

river deity in a worship scene

In the play, Esteban speaks to a sea deity before the storm.

sea deity in myth or drama

Common collocations
  • river deity
  • household deity
  • guardian deity
  • sun deity
  • worship a deity
Synonyms
  • god

    everyday word for a male or unspecified divine being; less formal than 'deity'

  • goddess

    specific to a female divine figure, so it is narrower than 'deity'

  • divinity

    formal word often used in theology or learned writing about divine beings

Grammar Patterns

a + deity

deity of [place/thing]

worship a deity

Usage Note

Often used in history, mythology, or comparative religion for one god among several. Use sense 2 when the context clearly means the single God of a monotheistic faith.

Common Mistakes

Christians believe in many deities.
Ancient Romans believed in many deities.
this sense usually names one god within a set; for Christianity, 'God' or sense 2 is the normal choice.

2. the one highest God in a religion that teaches that a single divine ruler made a

2.nounC1
Definition

the one highest God in a religion that teaches that a single divine ruler made and governs everything.

Example

In class, the teacher said the deity created the world and still rules it.

the deity as single creator

In their prayers, the family asked the deity for mercy and guidance.

Common collocations
  • the deity
  • praise the deity
  • the deity as creator
  • mercy from the deity
  • pray to the deity
Synonyms
  • God

    the normal everyday word in monotheistic religious language

  • the Creator

    highlights the idea of God as maker of the world

  • the Lord

    common in prayer and scripture, with a stronger devotional tone

Grammar Patterns

the deity

deity as creator

pray to the deity

Usage Note

Usually singular and mainly found in formal or theological writing. Distinguish from sense 1: here the word points to the one supreme God, not one divine figure among several.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

For noun/1, 'deity' is a formal umbrella word for any being worshipped as divine, especially in writing about myth, religion, or history. 'God' is the normal everyday choice for a male or unspecified divine figure, while 'goddess' is narrower because it points specifically to a female one. 'Divinity' often refers to divine nature or sacred status rather than the being itself, so it does not always replace 'deity' smoothly. In learner use, 'deity' works best when you want a broad, neutral term: 'a sea deity' or 'a local deity' sounds natural, while 'Athena is a goddess' is more specific.

deity ↗god ↗goddess ↗divinity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sea deity
  • household deity
  • guardian deity
  • local deity

Phrases

  • worship a deity
  • pray to a deity

Etymology

LatinLate LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Deity came into English through Old French 'deite' from Late Latin 'deitas', a learned word related to Latin 'deus', meaning 'god'. Because of that history, English uses 'deity' with a more formal and literary tone than everyday 'god', especially in theology, history, and myth.

First known use

14th century

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a