myth

Meaning

1. A traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.
2. Such stories as a genre.
3. A commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception; a fictitious or imaginary person or thing; a popular conception about a real person or event which exaggerates or idealizes reality.
4. A person or thing held in excessive or quasi-religious awe or admiration based on popular legend
5. A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose actual existence is not verifiable.
6. An invented story, theory, or concept.

Synonyms

legend

fable

tale

fairy tale

story

mythology

fiction

saga

history

narrative

news

📰

report

old story

romance

made-up story

origin account

account

mythus

belief

fabrication

fairy story

folktale

legends

lie

mythos

narration

Pronounced as (IPA)

/mɪθ/

Etymology

From Ancient Greek μῦθος (mûthos, “word, humour, companion, speech, account, rumour, fable”). Attested in English since 1830. Doublet of mythos.