Deified

Deified is the past participle of deify. As an adjective, it describes someone or something that has been elevated to the status of a god or that is treated as divine. As a verb, deify means to make into a god or to attribute godlike powers or status to someone or something. The noun form is deification, the act or process of becoming divine; apotheosis is a closely related term often used in classical contexts.

Etymology: from Latin deificare "to make godlike," from deus "god." The term appears in English from antiquity and is used in religious, mythological, and literary discussions.

Historical and cultural usage: In many ancient civilizations, rulers or heroes were deified. Roman emperors were posthumously worshipped as divi; some Egyptian pharaohs were regarded as divine or as the son of a god. Deification can also refer to the worship of heroes or natural phenomena personified as gods.

Religious and literary usage: In Hinduism and other traditions, figures may be deified or worshipped as deities; in literature, a character may be described as deified to emphasize perfection or invincibility. In Christian contexts, deification is rare and controversial; theosis refers to becoming more like God rather than becoming God, and sainthood is usually described through canonization rather than deification.

Modern usage: the term is often used metaphorically to describe something revered or idealized, such as a cultural icon’s status. The distinction between deification and canonization in Christianity is significant: canonization is a formal process of recognizing sainthood, whereas deification implies making or treating someone as a god.