Meanings
plural mythologems · alternative mythologeme
- A basic core element, motif or theme of a myth.First known use 19th c.
[W]e have long been in possession of mythologems which express the dynamics of certain subliminal processes, though these processes were only given names in very recent times.
1963, Richard and Clara Winston, translating Carl Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Random House 1974, p. 342
Origin
- Ancient Greekμυθολογέω“to tell mythical tales”
- Englishmythologem
From Ancient Greek μυθολογέω (muthologéō, “to tell mythical tales”), from μυθολόγος (muthológos, “myth-teller”), from μῦθος (mûthos, “mythical narrative”) + -λόγος (-lógos). The -em could be interpreted as an analogue of -eme.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Russian мифологема
- мифологема (mifologema)basic core element, motif or theme of a myth
Cite this entry
mythologem. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologem
“mythologem.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologem. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mythologem,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologem.
Source: mythologem on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.