myth

Meaning

Noun

• A traditional story which embodies a belief regarding some fact or phenomenon of experience, and in which often the forces of nature and of the soul are personified; a sacred narrative regarding a god, a hero, the origin of the world or of a people, etc.
• Such stories as a genre.
• A commonly-held but false belief, a common misconception; a fictitious or imaginary person or thing; a popular conception about a real person or event which exaggerates or idealizes reality.
• A person or thing held in excessive or quasi-religious awe or admiration based on popular legend
• A person or thing existing only in imagination, or whose actual existence is not verifiable.
• An invented story, theory, or concept.

Origin

• From Ancient Greek μῦθος ("word, humour, companion, speech, account, rumour, fable"). Attested in English since 1830. mythos.