myth English · revision 7918

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1830|origins=grc μῦθος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mɪθ/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from French [[m|fr|mythe]] (1818) and directly Modern Latin [[m|la-new|mythus]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Greek [[m|grc|μῦθος|tr=mûthos|t=speech, word, story, myth]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a word of unknown origin, which Beekes finds quite possibly Pre-Greek.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is partly a back-formation from the earlier [[mythology]] and mythical.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A fictitious narrative involving supernatural persons: 1830.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The form mythus, used by Coleridge in 1825 and later by Carlyle, Trench and Thackeray, never became established and gave way to myth.^(Barnhart 1988) An untrue or popular tale, a rumour, is from 1840,^(OED 1989) and a fictitious person or thing from 1849.^(OED 1989) Etymonline quotes Simpson and Roud's distinction: myths are stories about divine beings, revered as true and sacred and linked to religion, and when the actors are no longer gods but heroes or fairies the story becomes a folktale.^(Etymonline) ''Mythical'' is from 1678,^(Barnhart 1988) and ''mythology'', an exposition of myths, from the 15th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 15th century – mythology.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1678 – mythical.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1825 – mythus, in Coleridge.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1830 – myth.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1840 – an untrue tale.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A traditional story about gods, heroes or ancestors that explains natural events or the customs of a people.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A widely held but false belief.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person or thing whose existence is imaginary or unproven.^(OED 1989)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mythical]]

+ * [[mythicize]]

+ * [[mythify]]

+ * [[mythmaker]]

+ * [[mytho-]]

+ * [[mythologem]]

+ * [[mythological]]

+ * [[mythology]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mythic]]

+ * [[mythos]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Obsolete homographs in the OED are myth, gentle (about 1320), and myth, to show or mark (14th–15th century).^(OED 1989) In Selkirkshire Scots myth meant marrow.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}