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god

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Appendix:Variations of "god"
Languages (23)
English
Danish • Dutch • Gothic • Irish • Low German • Lower Sorbian • Middle Dutch • Middle English • Middle Low German • Navajo • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old Frisian • Old Saxon • Romansch • Salar • Serbo-Croatian • Slovene • Spanish • Swedish • West Frisian
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English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Thumb
The Vedic god Indra (sense 1) on his mount Airavata.
Thumb
A statue depicting Zeus, a Greek god (sense 1).
Thumb
A Neopagan altar in Björkö, Sweden; the larger wooden figure represents the Norse god Frey (sense 1).

Inherited from Middle English god, from Old English god, originally neuter, then changed to masculine to reflect the change in religion to Christianity, from Proto-West Germanic *god n, from Proto-Germanic *gudą; see there for further origin. Not related to the word good or Persian خدا (xodâ, “god”).

Pronunciation

Noun

god (plural gods)

  2. A deity or supreme being; a supernatural, typically immortal, being with superior powers, to which personhood is attributed.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:god
    The most frequently used name for the Islamic god is Allah.
    • 2002, Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby:
      When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love.
  3. An idol.
    1. A representation of a deity, especially a statue or statuette.
    2. (figurative) Something or someone particularly revered, worshipped, idealized, admired and/or followed.
      Leo Messi is my god!
  4. (figurative) A person in a very high position of authority, importance or influence; a powerful ruler or tyrant.
    • 1959, Percy E. Corbett, Law in Diplomacy, page 105:
      In 1951 Stalin was a god and the official tone towards the West was one of total antagonism.
  5. (figurative, informal) A person who is exceptionally skilled in a particular activity.
    He is the god of soccer!
  6. (figurative, informal) An exceedingly handsome man.
    Lounging on the beach were several Greek gods.
  7. (Internet, roleplaying games) The person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon.
    Synonyms: arch, imp
    • 1996, Andy Eddy, Internet after hours:
      The gods usually have several wizards, or "immortals," to assist them in building the MUD.
    • 2003, David Lojek, Emote to the Max, page 11:
      The wizzes are only the junior grade of the MUD illuminati. The people who attain the senior grade of MUD freemasonry by starting their own MUD, with all due hubris, are known as gods.

Usage notes

  • The word god is often applied both to males and to females. The word was originally neuter in Proto-Germanic, while monotheistic usage, notably Judeo-Christian, completely shifted the gender to masculine, necessitating the development of a feminine form, goddess. (In Old English the feminine gyden, as well as a more explicitly marked masculine goda, existed.)

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Belizean Creole: gaad
  • Sranan Tongo: gado

Translations

See god/translations § Noun.

Proper noun

god

  1. (often derogatory, also philosophy) Alternative letter-case form of God.
    • 1530, William Tyndall, “An aunſwere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue”, in The whole workes of W. Tyndall […], published 1573, page 271:
      And ſuch is to beare yͤ names of god with croſſes betwene ech name about them.
    • 2005, Diane L. Gabriel, Angel of My Heart, →ISBN, page 46:
      “I say fuck it. Fuck god and fuck all the religions that praise him.”
    • 2010 [6th century], Boethius, translated by Andrew Smith, On Aristotle, On Interpretation 1–3, page 136:
      For if the necessity of events is bound up with god’s knowledge, if there is no necessity in events, the divine knowledge is abolished. And whose mind is so distorted by such an impious idea that he would dare to say this of god?
    • 2012, Penn Jillette, God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales, →ISBN, page 77:
      If I ask you if you believe in god, I just want to know if you have an imaginary omnipotent friend who you really believe lives outside of you in the real world.
    • 2016, Andrew Sneddon, A is for Atheist: An A to Z of the Godfree Life‎, →ISBN:
      Perhaps what is needed is just the right attitude: one’s heart should be open to god in order to hear his messages. […] It does not matter: such claims only prove my point about the communicative shortcomings of so-called divine signs.
    • 2017, Myrto Hatzimichali, “Stoicism and Platonism in ‘Arius Didymus’”, in Troels Engberg-Pedersen, editor, From Stoicism to Platonism: The Development of Philosophy, 100 BCE–100 CE, →ISBN, page 91:
      This is the formulation of the moral end as ‘assimilation to god’, which would become standard in later Platonism.

Verb

god (third-person singular simple present gods, present participle godding, simple past and past participle godded)

  1. (transitive) To idolize.
    • 1608, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Coriolanus, act V, scene III:
      CORIOLANUS: This last old man, / Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome, / Loved me above the measure of a father; / Nay, godded me, indeed.
    • a. 1866, Edward Bulwer Lytton, "Death and Sisyphus".
      To men the first necessity is gods; / And if the gods were not, / " Man would invent them, tho' they godded stones.
    • 2001, Conrad C. Fink, Sportswriting: The Lively Game, page 78:
      "Godded him up" ... It's the fear of discerning journalists: Does coverage of athletic stars, on field and off, approach beatification of the living?
  2. (transitive) To deify.
    • 1595, Edmund Spenser, Colin Clouts Come Home Againe:
      Then got he bow and shafts of gold and lead, / In which so fell and puissant he grew, / That Jove himselfe his powre began to dread, / And, taking up to heaven, him godded new.
    • 1951, Eric Voegelin, Dante Germino ed., The New Science of Politics: An Introduction, published 1987, page 125:
      The superman marks the end of a road on which we find such figures as the "godded man" of English Reformation mystics
    • 1956, C. S. Lewis, Fritz Eichenberg, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold, page 241:
      "She is so lately godded that she is still a rather poor goddess, Stranger.["]

Translations

See also

References

Further reading

Anagrams

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Danish

Etymology

Inherited from Old Danish gōþær, gothær, from Old Norse góðr (“good”), from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz. Cognate with English good and German gut.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈɡ̊oˀð], [ˈɡ̊oðˀ], [ˈɡ̊oˀ]
  • Rhymes: -oð
  • Audio:(file)

Adjective

god (neuter godt, plural and definite singular attributive gode, comparative bedre, superlative (predicative) bedst, superlative (attributive) bedste)

  1. good
    Antonyms: dårlig, ringe

See also

References

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Dutch

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch god, from Old Dutch got, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Compare English and West Frisian god, German Gott, Danish gud.

Pronunciation

Noun

god m (plural goden, diminutive godje n, feminine godin)

  1. god, deity

Derived terms

See also the derived terms at God.

Descendants

Gothic

Romanization

gōd

  1. romanization of 𐌲𐍉𐌳

Irish

Pronoun

god

  1. Munster form of cad, only used in god é

Low German

Alternative forms

  • good, goot, got
  • (in other dialects) gaud (comparative bäter, beter)
  • (in other dialects) gut (comparative bȩter)
  • (in other dialects) gud (comparative biäter), gutt (inflected gudd-)

Etymology

From Middle Low German gôt, from Old Saxon gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɡoːt/, /ɣoːt/, [ɡoʊt], [ɣɔʊt], [ɣoʊt]

Adjective

god

  1. (in some dialects) good (alternative spelling of goot)

Usage notes

  • The comparative is bäter and the superlative is best.
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Lower Sorbian

Noun

god

  1. superseded spelling of gód

Middle Dutch

Noun

god m

  1. alternative spelling of got

Middle English

Etymology 1

    From Old English god, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą.

    Alternative forms

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    god (plural goddes, genitive goddes)

    1. A god or deity; a divine individual.
    2. A person worshipped as a divinity.
    Descendants

    Proper noun

    god (genitive goddes, uncountable)

    1. God (the deity of Abrahamic religions, especially the Christian God, considered to be Jesus Christ)
      • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎, published c. 1410, Apocalips 4:5, page 118v, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
        ⁊ leıtıs ⁊ voıces ⁊ þundꝛıngıs camen out of þe troone. ⁊ ſeuene lau[m]pıs bꝛe[n]nynge bıfoꝛe þe troone.· whıche ben þe ſeuene ſpırıtıs of god
        And lightning, sounds, and thunder came out of the throne, and seven lamps were burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
      • a. 1450, The Creation and the Fall of Lucifer in The York Plays, as recorded c. 1463–1477 in British Museum MS. Additional 35290:
        I am gracyus and grete, god withoutyn begynnyng, / I am maker vnmade, all mighte es in me, / I am lyfe and way vnto welth-wynnyng, / I am formaste and fyrste, als I byd sall it be.
        I am gracious and great, God without beginning, / I am the unmade maker—all might is in me, / I am life and the way to the attainment of salvation, / I am foremost and first—as I command, it shall be.
    Descendants

    References

    Etymology 2

    From Old English gōd (“good”).

    Adjective

    god

    1. alternative form of good
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    Middle Low German

    Adjective

    god

    1. alternative spelling of gôt

    Noun

    god

    1. alternative spelling of got
    2. alternative spelling of gôt

    Navajo

    Etymology

    From Proto-Athabaskan *-ɢᴜ̓t’.

    Cognates:

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    -god (inalienable)

    1. knee

    Inflection

    More information singular, duoplural ...

    Derived terms

    • agod (“someone’s knee”)
    • hagod (“one’s knee”)
    • bigod (“his/her/their knee”)
    • shigod (“my knee”)
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    Norwegian Bokmål

    Etymology

    Inherited from Old Norse góðr, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ɡuː/, [ɡɯᵝː]

    Adjective

    god (neuter singular godt, definite singular and plural gode, comparative bedre, indefinite superlative best, definite superlative beste)

    1. good

    Derived terms

    References

    Norwegian Nynorsk

    Etymology 1

    Inherited from Old Norse góðr, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”). Akin to English good.

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    god (masculine and feminine god, neuter godt, definite singular and plural gode, comparative betre, indefinite superlative best, definite superlative beste)

    1. good
    Derived terms

    Male given names:

    • Godråd
    • Godvile

    Etymology 2

    Inherited from Old Norse goð.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    god ?

    1. god (only used in given names)
      Synonym: gud

    Male given names:

    Female given names:

    • Godrun

    References

    Old English

    Etymology 1

    Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

    Pronunciation

    Adjective

    gōd (comparative betera, superlative betest, adverb wel)

    1. good
    Declension
    Declension of gōd — Strong
    More information Singular, Masculine ...
    Declension of gōd — Weak
    More information Singular, Masculine ...
    Derived terms
    Descendants

    Noun

    gōd n

    1. good (something good or good things collectively)
      • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Ash-Wednesday"
        ...þæt is buh fram yfele and dō gōd.
        ...'Turn from evil, and do good.'
    2. goods, possessions
    Declension

    Strong a-stem:

    More information singular, plural ...

    Etymology 2

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Originally neuter, then changed to masculine to reflect the change in religion to Christianity.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      god n or m

      1. god
        • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Passion of St. Julian and his wife Basilissa"
          Gehelp urum godum and hat to þe gefeccan þisne dry Iulianum þe ure goda anlicnysse mid ealle to-brytte...
          Help our gods, and command men to bring thee this sorcerer Julianus, who hath utterly broken the images of our gods,...
        • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint George, Martyr"
          Nāst þū lā Geori þæt ūre godas swincað mid þē and ġit hī synd ġeþyldiġe þæt hī þe miltsion. Nū lǣre ic ðē swā swā lēofne sunu þæt ðū þæra cristenra lāre forlǣte mid ealle and tō mīnum rǣde hraðe ġebūge swā þæt ðū offriġe þām ārwurðan Appoline and þū mycelne wurðmynt miht swā beġitan.
          Knowest thou not, O George, that our gods are striving with thee, and even yet they are patient, that they may pity thee; now I exhort thee, as a beloved son, that thou altogether quit the Christians' doctrine, and quickly incline to my counsel, so that thou sacrifice to the venerable Apollo, and thou mayest so obtain great honour.
        • late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Seven Sleepers"
          Nu ge þam mærum godum offrian nellað, ne beo ge me næfre heonon-forð swa wurðe ne swa leofe swa ge ær wæron...
          Since ye will not offer to the great gods, ye shall never henceforth be to me so worthy nor so dear as ye were before;...
        • c. 1021, Wulfstan, Winchester Code of Cnut, article 5.1:
          Hǣðensċipe biþ þæt man dēofolġield weorðiġe, þæt is þæt man weorðiġe hǣðenu godu and sunnan oþþe mōnan, fȳr oþþe flōd, wæterwiellas oþþe stānas oþþe ǣniġes cynnes wudutreowu, oþþe wiċċecræft lufiġe oþþe morðweorc ġefremme on ǣniġe wisan, oþþe on blōte oþþe frihte, oþþe swelcra gedwimera ǣniġ þing drēoge.
          Paganism is when you practice idolatry, that is, when you worship heathen gods and the sun or the moon, or fire or flood, or wells or stones or any kind of forest trees, or if you love witchcraft or commit murderous acts in any way, whether by sacrifice or by divination, or take any part in such delusions.
      Declension
      neuter

      Strong a-stem:

      More information singular, plural ...
      masculine

      Strong a-stem:

      More information singular, plural ...
      Synonyms
      Derived terms

      Proper noun

      god m

      1. alternative letter-case form of God
      Declension

      Strong a-stem:

      More information singular, plural ...
      Descendants

      Old Frisian

      Etymology 1

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gōd.

      Pronunciation

      • (13th CE) IPA(key): [ɡoːd]
      • Hyphenation: god

      Adjective

      gōd

      1. good
      Declension
      More information singular, masculine ...
      More information singular, masculine ...
      Descendants
      • North Frisian:
        Föhr-Amrum: gud
        Mooring: gödj
        Sylt: gur
      • Saterland Frisian: goud
      • West Frisian: goed

      Etymology 2

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god.

      Pronunciation

      • (13th CE) IPA(key): [ɡod]
      • Hyphenation: god

      Noun

      god m

      1. god
      2. (Christianity) God
        • c. 1485, Freeska Landriucht [The Law of the Frisian Land]‎, page 1:
          THer era godes ſynre liauer moder Maria alle des himelſche heerſchipes.
          In honour of god, his mother Mary, all the heavenly hosts.
      Declension
      More information singular, plural ...
      Descendants
      • North Frisian:
        • Föhr-Amrum: God
      • Saterland Frisian: God
      • West Frisian: god, God

      References

      • Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009), An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 197

      Old Saxon

      Alternative forms

      Etymology 1

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

      Cognate with Old English gōd, Old Frisian gōd, Old High German guot, Old Dutch guot, Old Norse góðr.

      Pronunciation

      Adjective

      gōd (comparative betiro, superlative betst)

      1. good
        • Heliand, verse 363
          Davides thes gōdon
          of David the Good
      Declension
      More information Strong declension, singular ...
      More information singular, plural ...
      More information Strong declension, singular ...
      Descendants

      Etymology 2

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      gōd n

      1. goodness, benefit
        • Heliand, verse 1456
          dōt im gōdes filu
          They gave to them loads of goods
      Declension
      More information singular, plural ...
      Descendants
      • Middle Low German: gôt
        • German Low German: Good
        • Low German: Goot

      Etymology 3

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Compare Old English god, Old Frisian god, Old High German got, Old Norse guð.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      god n

      2. god
        • Heliand, verse 326
          godes ēgan barn
          God's own child
      Declension
      More information singular, plural ...
      Descendants
      • Middle Low German: got

      Etymology 4

      Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą.

      Pronunciation

      Noun

      god m

      1. God (the Christian god)
        • Heliand, verse 11
          thia habdon maht godes helpa fan himila
          They had the power by the help of God in the heavens
      Declension
      More information singular, plural ...
      Descendants
      • Middle Low German: got

      Romansch

      Alternative forms

      Etymology

      Of probable Germanic origin. Cognate with German Wald, German Low German Woold, Dutch woud, English wold).

      Noun

      god m (plural gods)

      1. (Puter, Vallader) forest

      Salar

      Serbo-Croatian

      Slovene

      Spanish

      Swedish

      West Frisian

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