Etymology

myth

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Today it means: 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. Full definition →

Ancient Greek μῦθος
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The story

  1. Ancient Greek · borrowed fromμῦθος“word, humour, companion, speech, account, rumour, fable”
  2. English todaymyth

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

Words from the same roots

Ancient Greekμῦθος all →

mythosmytho-mythus

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.