myth
HighFormal and informal; common in academic, journalistic, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A traditional story, usually concerning the early history of a people or explaining a natural or social phenomenon, typically involving supernatural beings or events.
A widely held but false belief or idea; a fictitious person, thing, or story.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term has a dual meaning: 1) its original sense referring to traditional, often sacred, narratives; 2) its common modern sense of a falsehood or misconception.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. The primary distinction is in pronunciation.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
MYTH that + clause (The myth that sugar causes hyperactivity)MYTH about/of + noun (a myth about dragons)MYTH + verb (The myth claims...)adjective + MYTH (persistent myth)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Explode/Bust/Debunk a myth (to prove something is false)”
- “Myth and legend (referring collectively to traditional stories)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to discuss misconceptions about markets, management, or success (e.g., 'the myth of the overnight success').
Academic
Central to studies in literature, anthropology, and history; also used to describe disproven theories.
Everyday
Commonly used to dismiss something as untrue (e.g., 'That's just a myth!').
Technical
In computing, 'myth' might be used informally to describe a persistent but incorrect belief about software or hardware.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The process was mythologised in the company's history.
American English
- The founding fathers have been mythologized in popular culture.
adjective
British English
- The film explores the mythic origins of the kingdom.
American English
- She has taken on a mythical status within the organisation.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The story of Hercules is a Greek myth.
- It is a myth that cats have nine lives.
- Many people believe the myth that we only use 10% of our brains.
- The myth of the Loch Ness Monster brings many tourists to Scotland.
- His latest book aims to debunk the myth of the 'self-made' billionaire.
- Ancient myths often served to explain the origins of the world.
- The persisting myth of meritocracy obscures the structural inequalities in our society.
- Scholars distinguish between the foundational myth of a nation and its verifiable historical record.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'Mystery' - a MYTH is often a MYSTerious story from the past.
Conceptual Metaphor
MYTH IS A FALSE CONSTRUCT (We need to dismantle that myth).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not a direct equivalent of 'миф' in its modern 'false belief' sense; in Russian, 'миф' can sound more academic/formal than the English 'myth'.
- Avoid confusing 'myth' with 'legend' (легенда); myths are typically older and more foundational to a culture.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as /maɪθ/ (like 'my-th') instead of /mɪθ/.
- Using 'myth' to mean any story, losing the connotation of tradition or falsehood.
- Confusing 'myth' with 'mythology' (the study or collection of myths).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST accurate synonym for 'myth' in its most common modern usage?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In its original, academic sense, a myth is not necessarily 'false' but is a traditional narrative with symbolic importance to a culture. In everyday modern use, it almost always means a widely held but false belief.
An 'urban legend' is a specific type of modern myth—a plausible but untrue story circulating informally. 'Myth' is a broader term encompassing both ancient traditional stories and modern misconceptions.
Not directly. The related verb is 'mythologise' (UK) / 'mythologize' (US), meaning to turn someone or something into the subject of a myth, often by exaggerating the truth.
Mythology refers either to a collection of myths belonging to a particular culture (e.g., Greek mythology) or to the study of myths as a scholarly discipline.
Collections
Part of a collection
Travel and Culture
B1 · 48 words · Cultural experiences and traveling the world.
Advanced Literary Vocabulary
C2 · 50 words · Technical terms for advanced literary analysis.