deification
Elevation to godhood
Deification is the act of making someone or something into a god, or treating them as divine.
Roman emperors underwent deification after death; fans sometimes deify celebrities.
The word applies both to literal religious elevation and to excessive admiration: The deification of wealth has warped our values.
The verb is deify.
Surpassing usual limits
- ascensionMovement to higher position
- elevationHeight above reference point
- exaltationIntense joyful elevation
- glorificationElevating praise or worship
ennoblement · sublimation · transfiguration · metamorphosis · divinization · immortalization · idealization · aggrandizement
All gods of a religion
- mythosBody of foundational legends
- demigodPartly divine being
- apotheosisPeak or deification
- pharaohAncient Egyptian ruler
Official declaration of sainthood
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
- sanctificationMaking someone or something sacred
- sainthoodState of being canonized
- martyrdomSuffering for conviction
blessedness · hagiography · intercession · relics · veneration · patron · blessed · hallowing
Profound admiring respect
- reverenceProfound admiring respect
- adorationProfound loving regard
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- prayerAddress to deity
altar · ritual · sacrifice · temple · shrine · pilgrimage · incense · offerings
Of or from gods
- godhoodStatus as a deity
- godheadEssential nature of deity
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
- omniscienceUnlimited knowledge state
transcendence · immortality · supreme · almighty · celestial · heavenly · sacred · eternal
Object of worship
- statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- effigySculpted human representation
- imageVisual or mental likeness
likeness · representation · sculpture · figurine · totem · relic · shrine · fetish
Luminous ring overhead
- nimbusLuminous disk or raincloud
- aureoleRadiant ring around head
- gloryExalted honor and praise
- radianceGlowing luminous quality
corona · effulgence · luminosity · glow · aura · brilliance · illumination · resplendence
transcendence
Surpassing usual limits
- ascensionMovement to higher position
- elevationHeight above reference point
- exaltationIntense joyful elevation
glorification · ennoblement · sublimation · transfiguration · metamorphosis · divinization · immortalization · idealization · aggrandizement · magnification
pantheon
All gods of a religion
- mythosBody of foundational legends
- demigodPartly divine being
- apotheosisPeak or deification
canonization
Official declaration of sainthood
- beatificationDeclaring someone among blessed
- sanctificationMaking someone or something sacred
- sainthoodState of being canonized
martyrdom · blessedness · hagiography · intercession · relics · veneration · patron · blessed · hallowing · holiness
veneration
Profound admiring respect
prayer · altar · ritual · sacrifice · temple · shrine · pilgrimage · incense · offerings · liturgy
divine
Of or from gods
- godhoodStatus as a deity
- godheadEssential nature of deity
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
omniscience · transcendence · immortality · supreme · almighty · celestial · heavenly · sacred · eternal · infinite
idol
Object of worship
- statueThree-dimensional sculpted likeness
- iconPictorial screen symbol
- effigySculpted human representation
image · likeness · representation · sculpture · figurine · totem · relic · shrine · fetish · amulet
halo
Luminous ring overhead
radiance · corona · effulgence · luminosity · glow · aura · brilliance · illumination · resplendence
- mythologyZeus, Apollo, Athena, Poseidon, Odin
- afterlifeheaven, hell, paradise, purgatory, limbo
- divinitygodhood, divine, godhead, holiness, divine nature
- God-Kingsgod-king, pharaoh, divine emperor, divine ruler, living god
- mystical statesecstasy, rapture, religious ecstasy, mystical union, divine union
- mysticismmystic, gnosis, divine union, divine spark, mystical
deificationdebasement
Diminishing worth or purity
degradation · demonization · vilification · humiliation · dehumanization
deificationdemonization
Casting as evil
dehumanization · profanation · secularization · damnation · desecration