'Apotheosis' signifies elevation to divine status or the perfect embodiment of something, originating from the Greek practice of deification.
Apotheosis means elevation to divine status or deification, or the perfect example or quintessence of something. It stems from the ancient Greek practice of granting god status to individuals.
| Word | apotheosis |
|---|---|
| Date | June 3, 2010 |
| Type | noun |
| Syllables | uh-pah-thee-OH-sis |
| Etymology | Among the ancient Greeks, it was sometimes thought fitting -- or simply handy, say if you wanted a god somewhere in your bloodline -- to grant someone or other god status. So they created the word "apotheosis," meaning "making into a god." (The prefix "apo-" can mean simply "quite" or "completely," and "theos" is the Greek word for "god.") There's not a lot of Greek-style apotheosizing in the 21st century, but there is hero-worship. Our extended use of "apotheosis" as "elevation to divine status" is the equivalent of "placement on a very high pedestal." Even more common these days is to use "apotheosis" in reference to a perfect example or ultimate form. For example, one might describe a movie as "the apotheosis of the sci-fi movie genre." |
| Examples | "Long before celebrity reached its apotheosis, the great gossip columnist and radio broadcaster Walter Winchell … understood that celebrity was a basis for an ongoing, daily national conversation…." (Neal Gabler, Newsweek, December 21, 2009) |
| Definition | 1 : elevation to divine status : deification 2 : the perfect example : quintessence |
Tags: wordoftheday::noun
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