What Does the Word Deity Mean?
Deity simply means god or goddess, according to the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary. But is it really as simple as that?
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History
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The word deity has been traced back to the 14th century and it is a word used worldwide.
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Etymology
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Deity is derived from the Middle English deitee, which comes from the Anglo-French deité, according to Merriam-Webster's. It is also derived from late Latin deitat and deitas, as well as from the Latin deus god. Deity is akin to Old English tīw, meaning god of war, which comes from the Latin divus god and dies day. The Greek dios means heavenly and the Sanskrit deva means heavenly or god.
Significance
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The range of definitions all break down to the same basic meaning. A deity is a supernatural being that is worshiped by a person or group. It controls some part of the world, some aspect of life, or is the personification of a force to the group or person who is worshiping the deity. Different cultures, backgrounds and religions all play a part in what a deity really is or can be.
Synonyms
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There are many words used interchangeable for deity; creator, divine being, god, goddess, supreme being, idol and immortal are the most common. God, Lord, Jehovah, Jesus and Christ are some of the more proper names used. Other synonyms include less popular words such as omnipotence, sanctification, avatar and divineness.
Biblical References
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Some Biblical texts assert that Jesus is God, therefore making him a deity. Isaiah 9: 6 reads, "For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace."
Interesting Fact
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Did you know a zombie (the living dead) is a deity? It is considered a god in the voodoo religions of African origin. This worship practice is prominent in the West Indies.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit "The destroyer" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: The Wandering Angel (Angelo Juan Ramos) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
