euhemerize
/juˈhiməˌɹaɪz/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English
24
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To invent a plausible but fanciful historical origin for something in order to rationalize mythology and legends.
Derogatory
Example Sentences
- "Near-synonyms: demythologize (sometimes synonymous), undeify (synonymous when personages are the direct objects)"
- "Confucian scholars frequently euhemerized the myths used to explain religious rituals to the public."
- "He did but extend to the New Testament the Euhemerising principles which Eichhorn had applied to the Old."
- "The legend of Semiramis was a euhemerised version of the story of Istar."
- "Near-synonym: deify (synonymous when personages are the direct objects)"
- "The Yellow Emperor was perhaps euhemerized from a prehistoric tribal leader."
Etymology
From euhemerism + -ize, ultimately from Latin Euhēmerus, from Ancient Greek Εὐήμερος (Euḗmeros), an ancient Greek Sicilian Skeptic who proposed most or all mythology derived from historical figures and natural events which received supernatural characteristics only through retelling.
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: Euhēmerus, Εὐήμερος
- Suffix: euhemerism
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /juˈhiməˌɹaɪz/
- British English: /juːˈhiːməˌɹaɪz/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Frequently Paired Words
Synonyms
demythologize
undeify[personage]]s are the direct objects>
mythologize
deify[personage]]s are the direct objects>
rationalize