myth

myth — noun

1. a story that comes from the distant past of a culture and tries to answer big qu

1.nounB1
Definition

a story that comes from the distant past of a culture and tries to answer big questions — such as where the first people came from, why the seasons change, or how a particular custom began

Example

In Greek myth, the god Prometheus stole fire from heaven and gave it to humans.

cultural context: Greek mythology

Yuna's grandmother often told her myths about the spirits that lived in the local forest.

Common collocations
  • ancient myth
  • creation myth
  • Greek myth
  • mythology
  • mythical
Synonyms
  • legend

    focuses on heroic humans and often has a grain of historical truth

  • folklore

    broader term covering all traditional stories, beliefs, and customs of a community

  • fable

    a short tale, usually with animal characters, that teaches a moral lesson

Antonyms
  • fact

    something that is known to be true through evidence

  • history

    recorded events based on documents and evidence

Grammar Patterns

myth + about + noun

myth + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Can be countable ('a myth about the moon') or uncountable ('Greek myth is full of heroes'). Use 'mythology' for the whole body of myths from one culture.

Common Mistakes

The story of Mulan is a myth recorded in Chinese history.
The story of Mulan is a legend that may be based on a real person.
a myth explains the world through gods and natural events; a legend is about heroic humans that may have some historical basis.

2. an idea or belief that a large number of people accept as true, even though it h

2.nounB1
Definition

an idea or belief that a large number of people accept as true, even though it has no solid evidence behind it

Example

Many people believe the myth that humans only use ten percent of their brains.

pattern: myth + that-clause for common misconception

Élise grew up hearing the myth that cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.

Common collocations
  • common myth
  • popular myth
  • urban myth
  • bust a myth
  • dispel a myth
  • myth debunked
Synonyms
  • misconception

    a view that is wrong because of incomplete understanding; more formal than myth

  • fallacy

    a false belief based on faulty reasoning; common in academic contexts

  • superstition

    an irrational belief that one thing causes another by magic or luck

Antonyms
  • fact

    a piece of information that is known to be true

  • truth

    the real facts about a situation

Grammar Patterns

myth + that-clause

It is a myth that...

Usage Note

Unlike sense 1, this sense refers to modern false beliefs rather than ancient stories. The that-clause pattern ('It is a myth that...') is very common in explanatory or persuasive writing.

Common Mistakes

It is a myth that black cats bring bad luck.
It is a superstition that black cats bring bad luck.
a myth is a widely believed false idea; a superstition is an irrational belief based on magic or luck, not necessarily widely shared.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe incorrect beliefs, but they differ in scope and cause. A 'myth' is a widely held but false idea that may arise from repeated telling rather than from any reasoning — for example, the myth that sharks are man-eaters. A 'misconception' comes from misunderstanding facts or incomplete knowledge; it is less dramatic than a myth and often easier to correct — such as the misconception that all bugs are insects. A 'fallacy' is a logical error in an argument, used frequently in formal or academic writing to label flawed reasoning — for instance, the fallacy that if A happens before B, then A caused B. 'Superstition' refers to irrational beliefs about cause and effect linked to luck or magic — like the superstition that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck. In everyday conversation, 'myth' is the most common and versatile choice; 'misconception' sounds more neutral and clinical; 'fallacy' is best for arguments and debates; 'superstition' fits beliefs tied to luck or fate.

myth ↗misconceptionfallacysuperstition ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a myth that...
  • the myth of...
  • myth vs. reality

Prepositions

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

From ancient Greek 'mythos' (μῦθος), meaning 'speech, story, tale'. The word travelled into Latin as 'mythos' and entered English in the early 1800s through French 'mythe'. The older meaning — an ancient story explaining the world around us — appeared first. The modern sense of 'a widely held but false belief' grew popular in the 1900s, especially in phrases like 'the myth of progress'.