Meaning

3 senses

  1. (derogatory, uncountable)The fanciful invention of plausible historical figures and events as an attempt to rationalize mythology and legends

    The euhemerization of Taoist myth by Confucian historians sometimes led to the appearance of figures such as "Lord Primordial Chaos" (渾沌氏) in the imperial genealogies.

  2. The fanciful invention of plausible historical figures and events as an attempt to rationalize mythology and legends

    (countable, derogatory)An instance of this

    One such euhemerization is a Rowan Atkinson bit where he presents Jesus Christ as a misunderstood street magician.

  3. (uncountable)Synonym of deification: the actual creation of mythology and legends from historical figures and events; (countable) an instance of this.

Origin

From euhemerize + -ation, ultimately from Latin Euhēmerus, from Ancient Greek Εὐήμερος (Eu

From euhemerize + -ation, 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.

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Forms

plural: euhemerizations

Synonyms

2 synonyms
deification
fanciful creation of rational explanations for the supernatural:rationalization & pseudohistory

Lessons for this word

1 lessons

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
eucalyptuseuchreeugenicseukaryoteeulogyeunuch
euhemerization — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto