demythologized
|de-my-thol-o-gi-zed|
🇺🇸
/diːˌmɪˈθɑlədʒaɪz/
🇬🇧
/diːˌmɪˈθɒlədʒaɪz/
(demythologize)
remove mythic elements
Etymology
'demythologize' originates from English, formed by the prefix 'de-' (from Latin 'de-' meaning 'remove' or 'reverse') plus 'mythologize' (itself from 'mythology' + '-ize').
'demythologize' developed from 'mythologize' (from Greek 'mythos' meaning 'story' or 'myth' + 'logos' meaning 'word' or 'reason' via Latin/French formations) with the addition of the English prefix 'de-' to indicate removal; the adjective/past form 'demythologized' is the regular past-participle evolution of the verb.
Initially used in general senses of removing mythic status ('to strip of myth'), it acquired a prominent theological and hermeneutical sense (notably in 20th-century scholarship) meaning 'to reinterpret mythic language existentially'; today both the general and the specialized senses are used.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
past tense or past participle form of 'demythologize' (to remove mythic elements from a story, account, or idea; to strip of mythic status).
Scholars demythologized the founding legends to reveal the historical facts beneath.
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Verb 2
in theological or literary contexts: to reinterpret religious or mythic narratives so their existential or ethical meaning is emphasized rather than literal supernatural claims (associated with Rudolf Bultmann's use of 'demythologize').
Many theologians have demythologized scripture to focus on its existential message.
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Adjective 1
describing something that has been stripped of mythic or legendary status; presented without mythic embellishment or supernatural interpretation.
The demythologized account of the hero presented him as an ordinary person with human flaws.
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Last updated: 2026/01/09 02:44