dios

Dios is the Spanish term for God, the supreme being in many religious traditions and a central figure in Spanish-language religious discourse. When capitalized, Dios functions as a proper name for the Christian God. When written with a lowercase initial (dios), the word can refer more generally to a deity in various traditions or to gods in mythologies. The term derives from Latin deus, related to Proto-Italic *deiwos, and has cognates in Greek (theos) and other Indo-European languages.

In Christian usage, Dios is typically described as the creator and ruler of the universe, possessing attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. In many denominations, Dios is a personal being who can be known through revelation, scripture, and prayer. Christian theology also includes the concept of the Trinity, in which God is understood as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in one essence, though interpretations vary among traditions.

In Judaism, God is understood as a single, indivisible, and incorporeal being who enters into covenants with humanity; the Spanish translations commonly render divine names and titles by Dios, while some contexts distinguish terms like Yahweh or Elohim. In Islam, the closest equivalent is Allah, viewed as the sole, unique creator and sustainer of the cosmos; Spanish-language texts may use Allah or Dios depending on the context, with Dios often serving as the general term for the Abrahamic God.

Scholarly and theological discussions about Dios address questions about divine attributes, the problem of evil, divine intervention, and the nature of revelation. The term remains central to worship, scripture, philosophy, and debates within Spanish-speaking religious and cultural contexts.