mythos

noun

my·​thos ˈmi-ˌthōs How to pronounce mythos (audio)
-ˌthäs
plural mythoi ˈmi-ˌthȯi How to pronounce mythos (audio)
1
2
: a pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture
3
: theme, plot
the starving artist mythos

Examples of mythos in a Sentence

according to one creation mythos, humans sprang from the forehead of a god the Superman mythos has long since become ingrained in popular American culture
Recent Examples on the Web Back in the mid-2010s, there were particular rappers who built their mythos around leaks and low-quality snippets—Young Thug and Playboi Carti, specifically—but now pretty much everyone plays that game. Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 8 Mar. 2024 The Fantastic Four are a cornerstone of the Marvel mythos, with writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby introducing hte team in 1961’s Fantastic Four No. 1, the comic that would launch the Marvel Universe. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2024 The result is engrossing television that sucks you in like a black hole with its wider mythos and excellent one-hitter episodes. EW.com, 9 Nov. 2023 Even so, the mythos was so pervasive, Mychajliw told me, that livestock were the most common grizzly menu item mentioned in the more than 100 diaries, government documents, field notes, and other historical records the team unearthed that mentioned what the bears ate. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2024 Suspenseful and surprisingly funny, Attachment delves into mythos still largely unexplored in horror while also exploring the nature of selfish and selfless love. Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Dec. 2023 Lucas was temperamentally unable to build a substantial mythos with the Star Wars franchise, even though generations of children were infatuated. Armond White, National Review, 20 Dec. 2023 There’s an undeniable frisson in the clash between its ruthless reality and its mythos, which ranges from ultra-romantic to sublimely silly. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2023 In Joshua Tree, Calif., the high desert community some 130 miles east of Los Angeles, a new rental property called Landing House leans into this mythos. John Wogan Laura Bannister Tariro Mzezewa Elissa Suh Dana Covit Jameson Montgomery, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mythos.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek mŷthos "utterance, speech, discourse, tale, narrative, fiction, legend," of obscure origin

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of mythos was in 1753

Dictionary Entries Near mythos

Cite this Entry

“Mythos.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mythos. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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