Persian deity
- noun
- Literature
- Ahura Mazda is a well-known Persian deity revered for representing wisdom and light.
Examples
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The ancient Persians built temples to honor their Persian deity and seek guidance.
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In Zoroastrianism, fire is often associated with the worship of a Persian deity.
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Called Ahura Mazda, it depicted an ancient Persian deity of that name.
Synonyms
A god or goddess that people worship and think has power over part of the world
An object or image that people worship and treat as having power
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is fully compositional: 'Persian' (from Persia) simply specifies the origin/association of the noun 'deity' (a god), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'a god associated with Persia.' This adjective+noun pattern is common across languages and follows standard English grammar, making the expression immediately understandable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Persian deity puts together Persian (people from ancient Persia) and deity (a god or goddess). It comes from the real practice of people in ancient Persia worshiping gods like Ahura Mazda, so the phrase means 'a god or goddess worshiped by the ancient Persians'.