Standard Lemma guide

mythos

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmɪθɒs/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈmʌɪ-/
  • General-American: /ˈmɪθoʊs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Anything transmitted by word of mouth, such as a fable, legend, narrative, story, or tale (especially a poetic tale).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A story or set of stories relevant to or having a significant truth or meaning for a particular culture, religion, society, or other group; a myth, a mythology.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A set of assumptions or beliefs about something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A recurring theme; a motif.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: literature, media, publishing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin mȳthos (“myth”), from Ancient Greek μῦθος (mûthos, “report, tale, story”). Doublet of myth. The plural form mythoi is from Ancient Greek μῦθοι (mûthoi), and the form mythoses from mythos + -es.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • German: Mythos — anything transmitted by word of mouth
  • Greek: μύθος (mýthos) — anything transmitted by word of mouth
  • Serbo-Croatian: mȋtos — anything transmitted by word of mouth
  • Danish: mytologi — story or set or stories relevant to a particular culture or some other group
  • Galician: mito — story or set or stories relevant to a particular culture or some other group
  • German: Mythos — story or set or stories relevant to a particular culture or some other group
  • Greek: μύθος (mýthos) — story or set or stories relevant to a particular culture or some other group
  • Serbo-Croatian: mȋtos — story or set or stories relevant to a particular culture or some other group
  • Greek: μύθος (mýthos) — set of assumptions or beliefs