demigod
UK /ˈdɛmiɡɒd/ · US /ˈdɛmiɡɑd/ noun, proper noun
Forms demigods demi-god
- noun (mythology) A half-god or hero; the offspring of a deity and a mortal.
- noun Someone held up for reverence as a supreme example.
- proper noun (ice hockey, informal) The ice hockey player Ivan Demidov, when portrayed as a hero.
Synonyms
halfgod half-god semigod hero icon idol exemplar superman Ubermensch daemon
Etymology
From demi- + god. Calque of the Latin semideus (“half-god”), which is probably a coining by the Roman poet Ovid for less important gods such as dryads.
Blend of Russian Демидов (Demidov) + demigod.
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “demigod”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details