Standard Lemma guide

theosis

noun · 2 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

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  • thē-ō′sĭs
  • UK: /θiːˈəʊ.sɪs/
  • US: /θiˈoʊ.sɪs/
  • rhymes with -əʊsɪs

1

noun

Meaning 1

The likeness to or union with God; deification.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: Christianity, Eastern-Christianity, lifestyle, religion, theology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The process of attaining this state of union with God.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Eastern, uncountable

Qualifier: Eastern Orthodoxy

Topics: Catholicism, Christianity, Eastern-Christianity, human-sciences, lifestyle, mysticism, philosophy, religion, sciences, theology

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin theōsis, from Koine Greek θέωσις (théōsis).

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: jumalallisuus — likeness to or union with God
  • Finnish: teoosi — likeness to or union with God
  • French: théosis — likeness to or union with God
  • German: Theosis — likeness to or union with God
  • Greek: θέωση (théosi) — likeness to or union with God
  • Ancient Greek: θέωσις (théōsis) — likeness to or union with God
  • Hungarian: átistenülés — likeness to or union with God
  • Hungarian: megistenülés — likeness to or union with God
  • Indonesian: teosis — likeness to or union with God
  • Latin: deificātiō — likeness to or union with God
  • Latin: theōsis — likeness to or union with God
  • Macedonian: обожување (obožuvanje) — likeness to or union with God
  • Swedish: gudomliggörelse — likeness to or union with God
  • Finnish: jumalallistuminen — the process of attaining this
  • Finnish: teoosi — the process of attaining this
  • Macedonian: обожување (obožuvanje) — the process of attaining this