Etymology

euhemerize

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Today it means: To invent a plausible but fanciful historical origin for something in order to rationalize mythology and legends. Full definition →

Latin Euhēmerus ← Ancient Greek Εὐήμερος
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · derived fromΕὐήμερος
  2. Latin · derived fromEuhēmerus
  3. English todayeuhemerize

From euhemerism + -ize, ultimately from Latin Euhēmerus, from Ancient Greek Εὐήμερος (Euḗmeros), an ancient Greek Sicilian Skeptic who proposed most or all mythology derived from historical figures and natural events which received supernatural characteristics only through retelling.

Words from the same roots

LatinEuhēmerus all →

euhemerismeuhemeristeuhemeristicEuhemerus

Ancient GreekΕὐήμερος all →

euhemerismeuhemeristeuhemeristicEuhemerus

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.