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Glite Dictionary
Semitic deity

Semitic deity

9.9
A god or goddess worshipped long ago by groups such as the Babylonians and Hebrews
  • noun
translation icon : deidad semítica
  • Ba'al was a prominent Semitic deity associated with fertility and storms.

Examples

  • Artifacts depicting the Semitic deity Ishtar have been discovered at several archaeological sites.

  • The ancient Hebrews worshipped Yahweh as their principal Semitic deity.

  • The ancient Semitic deity Marduk was worshipped in Babylon.

  • Many Semitic deities were associated with natural elements.

  • The people of the ancient Near East worshipped Baal, a well-known Semitic deity connected with fertility and weather.

  • In their rituals, the Phoenicians honored Astarte, a Semitic deity revered for her role in love and war.

  • The ancient Hebrews built a temple to Jehovah, a Semitic deity central to their religious beliefs and practices.

Synonyms

deity
vsSemitic deity
62 7.4

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

is specific to worship by ancient peoples such as Babylonians and Phoenicians

Surface Forms

Semitic deity singular
Semitic deities plural

Morphology

Semitic + deity

The meaning 'a god or goddess associated with Semitic peoples' is directly and compositionally derived from 'Semitic' (relating to Semitic cultures/languages) + 'deity' (a god), forming a standard adjective + noun phrase. This follows common cross-linguistic patterns for nominal modification, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Semitic deity is a name for a god worshipped by ancient Semitic peoples. The word Semitic points to those ancient peoples from the Middle East and deity means 'god', so the phrase means 'a god of those peoples'.