A deity is a god or goddess—an elevated being considered divine or sacred within a religion. In secular contexts, it can refer, more loosely, to a powerful or supreme being. The term carries formal, reverent connotations and is often used in discussions of theology, myth, and worship. (2–4 sentences, ~50–80 words)
US: rhotic, fuller /ɚ/ effects can occur in connected speech;UK: non-rhotic, more clipped vowel quality;AU: vowels tend to be flatter with reduced diphthongs in rapid speech. For each: monitor /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/; keep final /t/ clear, and avoid turning /ti/ into /tiː/ or /ti/ without voice onset timing. Use IPA as reference and practice with minimal pairs to sharpen vowel circuitry, e.g., /diː/ vs /di/; /ɪ/ vs /iː/; /ti/ vs /tiː/.
"Many ancient cultures had multiple deities representing natural forces."
"In many religions, a single deity is believed to be omnipotent and omniscient."
"The temple housed statues of the chief deity and several minor ones."
"The author uses the word deity to emphasize a character's almost supernatural authority."
Deity comes from the Old French word deiité, influenced by Latin deus meaning god. The modern form emerged in English in the early medieval period, borrowing from ecclesiastical Latin deus and Greek theos. Its first attested uses appear in religious and philosophical writings discussing the nature, attributes, and worship of a supreme being. Over time, deity broadened to refer to any divine being—male or female—in mythologies, and later in secular literature to signify an exceptionally powerful or revered figure. The word’s core meaning—“a divine being worthy of worship”—has remained stable, though its connotations can shift from formal theological discourse to everyday metaphor. The spelling stabilized in Early Modern English, aligning with other -ity nouns from Latin origin, and its pronunciation solidified with the typical English long-e / iː i ˈ i̯ə ti̯/ phonology during the Great Vowel Shift era. First known written uses appear in religious treatises and hagiographies, with broader usage expanding in poetry and prose across centuries.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Deity" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Deity" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Deity"
-ity sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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US: /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/; UK: /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/; AU: /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/. The word has primary stress on the first syllable, with a clear long E in the first vowel. Mouth position: start with a relaxed lips, raised tongue for /iː/, then glide into a fast /ɪ/ before a final /ti/ with a crisp /t/ and a light /i/. Listen for a two-beat rhythm: DEE-ih-tee.
Two common errors: misplacing stress or making the second syllable overly prominent, and pronouncing /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/ as /ˈdiː.taɪ/ by merging the middle vowel. Correction: keep primary stress on the first syllable, clearly separate the middle /ɪ/ from the first /iː/ using a short pause or light separation, and end with a crisp /ti/ rather than a glide to /tiː/ or /ti/. A quick practice: /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/ with tight lip closure for /t/ and a clean /ɪ/ before /ti/.
US speakers typically realize it as /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/ with strong initial stress and neutral rhotics. UK speakers share the same transcription, but vowel quality may be slightly tenser, and non-rhoticity can influence the perceived rhythm. Australian pronunciation usually mirrors US/UK but can feature a shorter /ɪ/ in the second syllable and less precise separation in rapid speech. Overall, the /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/ pattern is stable across accents, with minor vowel shifts and rhythm differences.
The difficulty lies in the delicate mid-syllable /ɪ/ between two long vowels and keeping clear syllable separation while maintaining the initial strong stress. Non-native speakers often merge /ɪ/ with /iː/ or skip the middle vowel altogether, leading to /ˈdiː.taɪ/ or /ˈdiː.dɪ/ instead of /ˈdiː.ɪ.ti/. Practice the three distinct sounds in sequence: /ˈdiː/ + /ɪ/ + /ti/. Focus on a crisp /t/ and a short, unstressed middle vowel to avoid vowel clustering.
A unique aspect is the subtle separation between the first long vowel /iː/ and the middle lax /ɪ/. Some speakers elide the /ɪ/ in fast speech, making /ˈdiːti/; to keep it clear, insert a light tap or pause between the two vowels and avoid turning the /ɪ/ into a schwa. Also ensure the final /ti/ is not reduced to /tɪ/; the final syllable should have a crisp /ti/ with a released /t/.
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