mythologize

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UK/mɪˈθɒlədʒʌɪz/

verb

To interpret (a story etc.) as mythological; to explain the symbolic meaning of.

Similar
mythologisemythicizemythicise
Opposite
demythologize
OriginMiddle French mythologiser →
First used 17th c.Scrabble 29
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Meanings

verbmythologize (third-person singular simple present mythologizes, present participle mythologizing, simple past and past participle mythologized)

present singular third person mythologizes · participle present mythologizing · participle past mythologized · past mythologized

  1. archaictransitiveTo interpret (a story etc.) as mythological; to explain the symbolic meaning of.First known use 17th c.

    Most of Æsopes fables have divers senses, and severall interpretations: Those which Mythologize them, chuse some kinde of colour well-suting with the fable; but for the most part, it is no more than the first and superficiall glosse[…].

    1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 10, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC
  2. intransitiveTo construct a myth or mythology.First known use 17th c.
  3. transitiveTo make (something or someone) into a myth; to create a legend about.First known use 19th c.

Synonyms & antonyms

Narrower
legendrize

verbconstruct a myth

Similar
mythologise
Broader
fabricatemanufacturecook up

verbmake into a myth

Similar
mythologisemythicizemythicise
Opposite
demythologize
Broader
changealtermodify
Also see
deifyeuhemerizemythicize

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Frenchmythologiser
  2. Englishmythologize

From mythology + -ize, after Middle French mythologiser.

More words from Middle French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan mitologitzar
  • mitologitzarTranslations
French mythologiser
  • mythologiserTranslations
Russian мифологизи́ровать
  • мифологизи́ровать (mifologizírovatʹ)Translations
Spanish mitologizar
  • mitologizarTranslations
Swedish mytologisera
  • mytologiseraTranslations
Ukrainian міфологізува́ти
  • міфологізува́ти (mifolohizuváty)Translations
Cite this entry
APA

mythologize. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologize

MLA

“mythologize.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologize. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mythologize,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mythologize.

Source: mythologize on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.