Deify: meaning, definitions and examples

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deify

 

[ ˈdiː.ɪ.faɪ ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

religious context

To deify means to worship or regard someone or something as a god. It is often used in religious contexts where a person or entity is elevated to divine status. This term can also imply the glorification of someone in a manner typical of deities.

Synonyms

exalt, idolize, worship

Examples of usage

  • The ancient Egyptians would deify their pharaohs after death.
  • Some cultures tend to deify their historical leaders.
  • The movie attempted to deify the protagonist, portraying him as a savior.

Translations

Translations of the word "deify" in other languages:

🇵🇹 deificar

🇮🇳 भगवान बनाना

🇩🇪 vergöttern

🇮🇩 mengagungkan

🇺🇦 обожнювати

🇵🇱 deifikować

🇯🇵 神格化する

🇫🇷 déifier

🇪🇸 deificar

🇹🇷 tanrılaştırmak

🇰🇷 신격화하다

🇸🇦 تأليه

🇨🇿 deifikovat

🇸🇰 deifikovať

🇨🇳 神化

🇸🇮 deifikacija

🇮🇸 guðlega

🇰🇿 құдайландыру

🇬🇪 ღმერთად ქცევა

🇦🇿 tanrılaşdırmaq

🇲🇽 deificar

Etymology

The word 'deify' originates from the Latin 'deificare', which means 'to make a god of'. It is formed from the prefix 'de-' meaning 'from' or 'down from' and 'facere', meaning 'to make or do'. The term entered the English language in the late Middle Ages, around the 14th century. Since then, it has been used primarily in theological discussions and literary works to describe the act of elevating a person or figure to the status of a deity, often reflecting cultural values associated with divinity and worship.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #35,994, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.