Myth Meaning
/mɪθ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA 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.
nounSuch stories as a genre.
Sentence Examples
Paul's success was a myth.
The myth offers insights into the ancient civilization.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ancient Greeks passed down the ____ of Zeus and the other gods through generations.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many people believe that eating carrots improves your night vision, but it is actually a ____ that was popularized during World War II.
Word Origin & History
From Ancient Greek μῦθος (mûthos, “word, humour, companion, speech, account, rumour, fable”). Attested in English since 1830. Doublet of mythos.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Jacobsen's theory about the empty storehouse is still valid, for a myth never has one meaning only; a myth is a polyphonic fugue of many voices."
— 1981, William Irwin Thompson, The Time Falling Bodies Take to Light: Mythology, Sexuality and the Origins of Culture, London: Rider/Hutchinson & Co., page 175:
"Okay, okay, okay… First, of course, babies feel pain. How the fuck did we ever think otherwise⁉ But more importantly, the fact that painkillers are addictive was not a myth. It’s like a book of Greek mythology featuring the stories of Zeus, Sisyphus, Oedipus and Yanni. Come on! That last one is very real and it cannot be dismissed."
— 2016, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Opiods”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 27, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
"As for Mrs. Primmins's bones, they had been myths these twenty years."
— 1849, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, The Caxtons:
"Living beyond the Omega-4 mass relay in the Terminus Systems, the mysterious Collector species is glimpsed so rarely as to be taken for a myth by most in galactic society. In reality, Collectors are human-sized insectoid bipeds and can resemble massive winged beetles. They are a terrifying force in the galaxy, responsible for the murder of hundreds of thousands."
— 2010, BioWare, Mass Effect 2 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Collectors Codex entry:
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CEFR Practice Quiz
The ancient Greeks passed down the ____ of Zeus and the other gods through generations.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Many people believe that eating carrots improves your night vision, but it is actually a ____ that was popularized during World War II.