Other forms: myths
A myth is an ancient story of gods and heroes, or a widely believed untruth. Greek myth, the myth of progress, bust a myth.
The two senses pull against each other: in the study of religion a myth is a story that carries meaning regardless of whether it happened, and in ordinary use calling something a myth means it is false. Note mythology; and that the Greek mythos simply means a word or a story.
1nounmythAn ancient story of gods and heroes.
“In Greek myth, Zeus throws lightning bolts when he is angry.”
2nounwidelyA widely believed untruth.
“It's a myth that goldfish can only remember things for three seconds.”
myth is a story, or a falsehood.
Greek mythos means a word, speech or story. The word entered English in 1830.
Ancient Greek
μῦθος
English, today
myth
Borrowed from Ancient Greek μῦθος. From Ancient Greek μῦθος (“word, humour, companion, speech, account, rumour, fable”). Attested in English since 1830. a doublet of mythos.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA