euhemerism

euhemerism
euhemerist, n.euhemeristic, adj.euhemeristically, adv.
/yooh hee"meuh riz'euhm, -hem"euh-/, n.
1. (often cap.) the theory of Euhemerus that the mythologies of various gods arose out of the deification of dead heroes.
2. the theory that mythology is derived from history.
[1840-50; EUHEMER(US) + -ISM]

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Attempt to find a historical basis for mythical beings and events.

It takes its name from Euhemerus (fl. 300 BC), a Greek scholar who examined popular mythology in his Sacred History and asserted that the gods originated as heroes or conquerors who were admired and later deified. Though modern scholars do not accept euhemerism as the sole explanation for the origin of gods, it is thought to be valid in some cases.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • euhemerism — EUHEMERÍSM s.n. Doctrina lui Euhemeros (sec. IV III î.Hr.), potrivit căreia zeii nu sunt decât oameni de seamă divinizaţi. [pr.: e u . – var.: evhemerísm s.n.] – Din fr. évhémérisme. Trimis de bogdang, 13.09.2007. Sursa: DEX 98  euhemerísm s. n …   Dicționar Român

  • Euhemerism — Eu*hem er*ism . [L. Euhemerus, Gr. ? a philosopher, about 300 ?.] The theory, held by Euhemerus, that the gods of mythology were but deified mortals, and their deeds only the amplification in imagination of human acts. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • euhemerism — (n.) 1846, the method of regarding myths as glorified accounts of actual events or persons, from Euhemerus of Sicily (4c. B.C.E.), who wrote Iera Anagraphe, in which he maintained the Greek deities actually were historical mortals. His name is… …   Etymology dictionary

  • euhemerism — [yo͞o hē′mər iz΄əm, yo͞ohem′ərizəm] n. [< L Euhemerus (< Gr Euhēmeros) + ISM] the theory of the Greek writer Euhemerus (4th cent. B.C. ) that the gods of mythology were deified human beings; theory that myths are based on traditional… …   English World dictionary

  • euhemerism — noun Etymology: Euhemerus, 4th century B.C. Greek mythographer Date: 1846 interpretation of myths as traditional accounts of historical persons and events • euhemerist noun • euhemeristic adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • euhemerism — noun A belief attributing the origins of the gods to the deification of heroes after their deaths. See Also: euhemerize, euhemeristic, euhemerist …   Wiktionary

  • EUHEMERISM —    the theory that the gods of antiquity are merely deified men, so called from Euhemeros, the Greek who first propounded the theory, and who lived 316 B.C …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • EUHEMERISM —    the idea that ancient GODS were originally CULTURE heroes elevated to DIVINE status by popular sentiment …   Concise dictionary of Religion

  • euhemerism — explanation of mythology as growing out of history Philosophical Isms …   Phrontistery dictionary

  • euhemerism — eu·he·mer·ism …   English syllables

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