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Glite Dictionary
Greco-Roman deity

Greco-Roman deity

8.9
A god from ancient Greece or Rome
  • noun
  • /ˈɡrɛkoʊ ˈroʊmən ˈdiːəti/
  • Literature
translation icon : deidad grecorromana
  • Zeus is a well-known Greco-Roman deity.

Examples

  • Many ancient temples were dedicated to a specific Greco-Roman deity who was believed to protect the city.

  • The myths surrounding each Greco-Roman deity have influenced Western literature for centuries.

  • Athena is a well-known Greco-Roman deity associated with wisdom and warfare.

  • Many Greco-Roman deities were worshipped in ancient temples.

  • Athena is a well-known Greco-Roman deity associated with wisdom and warfare.

  • Many ancient temples were dedicated to a specific Greco-Roman deity who was believed to protect the city.

  • The myths surrounding each Greco-Roman deity have influenced Western literature for centuries.

Synonyms

deity
vsGreco-Roman deity
62 7.4

A god or goddess that people worship and think has power over part of the world

is limited to classical Greek and Roman mythologies rather than all cultures
god
vsGreco-Roman deity
55 3.0

An object or image that people worship and treat as having power

is a figure from classical Greek and Roman myths rather than a worshipped object

Surface Forms

Greco-Roman deity singular
Greco-Roman deities plural

Morphology

Greco-Roman + deity

The meaning 'a god or goddess from the classical mythologies of ancient Greece and Rome' is directly and compositionally derived from 'Greco-Roman' (related to Greek and Roman culture) + 'deity' (a god). This adjective+noun compound follows a straightforward cross-linguistic pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Greco-Roman deity: The term Greco-Roman deity comes from joining Greco (Greek) and Roman with deity meaning 'a god'. Long ago the Romans borrowed many Greek gods and gave them new names, so the phrase means 'a god from ancient Greece and Rome'.