Dictionary

demythologize en · VERB

Etymology

From de- + mythologize.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To remove the mythological elements of.
   • [commentating on "mother of all the living" in Gen. 3:20] A similar phrase is used to describe the mother goddess in ancient Near Eastern mythology. Here the image has been demythologized. It simply expresses the biblical concepts of one human race and of woman's primary role--motherhood. 2001, David L. Lieber, Jules Harlow, Etz Hayim: Torah and Commentary, page 23:
   • Archaeological evidence has demythologized some parts of the Bible.
   • Near-synonym: euhemerize (demythologizing sense)
   • However, the notion that an originally “mythological” figure has been “depotentized”, then variously “repotentized” or further “demythologized” by later, dependent authors, though the “mythological” understanding finally prevailed in later Jewish literature, does not sound entirely convincing. 2012, Rebecca S. Watson, Chaos Uncreated:

Forms

Antonyms

euhemerize · mythologize

Deriveds

demythologizer

Relateds

demythologization

Synonyms

euhemerize · demyth

Translations (2)

sv avmytologisera (1. To remove the mythological elements) · de entmythologisieren (1. To remove the mythological elements)