deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ə-tē  ˈdā- 

plural deities

1

a

: the rank or essential nature of a god or goddess : divinity

b

Deity : god sense 1, supreme being

2

: a god (see god entry 1 sense 2) or goddess

the deities of ancient Greece

3

: one exalted or revered as supremely good or powerful

… such established American deities as Daniel Boone, Kit Carson …

—J. D. Hart

the deities of the banking world

Synonyms of deity

• god

Examples of deity in a Sentence

to the ancient Greeks, Zeus was the deity who ruled over the sky and weather, and Poseidon was god of the sea

we prayed to the Deity for guidance

Recent Examples on the Web

The cult’s deity, a skeleton shrouded in a hooded robe, resembles a morbid inversion of the Virgin Mary, often blessed with tequila and marijuana smoke. —Chris Wiley, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2026

The ritual complex, dedicated to the local deity Pelusios, was found at Tell el-Farama in North Sinai. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026

In 2023, the Milk Carton Kids had another pinnacle moment when creating their own event, the Los Angeles Folk Festival, wanting to bring together the voices behind the treasured musical storyteller tradition in a city often preoccupied with Sunset Strip rock deities and annual jaunts to Coachella. —Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 24 Apr. 2026

The pawangs—who came from a variety of Malay, Tamil, or Arab Muslim backgrounds—also understood themselves as negotiating for safe passage with non-Muslim divinities, including the Hindu deities Shiva, Indra, Krishna, and Vishnu. —H.m.a. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English deitee, from Anglo-French deité, from Late Latin deitat-, deitas, from Latin deus god; akin to Old English Tīw, god of war, Latin divus god, dies day, Greek dios heavenly, Sanskrit deva heavenly, god

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for deity

• contemporaneity
• heterogeneity
• inhomogeneity
• homogeneity
• simultaneity
• spontaneity

Kids Definition

deity

noun

de·​i·​ty ˈdē-ət-ē 

plural deities

1

a

: divinity sense 2

b

capitalized : god sense 1

the Deity

2

a

: god sense 2

b

: goddess sense 1

Etymology

Middle English deitee "the nature of being divine," from early French deité (same meaning), derived from Latin deus "god" — related to adieu, adios