deify
Meaning
to make someone or something into a god
to treat someone or something with extreme admiration and respect, as if they were a god
Structure
Usage
ancient rulers would often deify themselves to consolidate their power.
some fans tend to deify their favorite celebrities, overlooking their human flaws.
the process to deify a saint in the catholic church is long and rigorous.
Etymology
the word 'deify' entered english in the late 14th century from old french 'deifier', which itself was derived from ecclesiastical latin 'deificare'. this latin verb is a compound of 'deus', meaning 'god', and the suffix '-ficare', a productive element meaning 'to make'. the literal construction 'to make into a god' directly informs its modern meanings, which range from the theological act of apotheosis to the figurative treatment of a person with godlike reverence. the core root 'deus' can be traced back to the proto-indo-European 'dyeu-', denoting a sky father or a shining celestial deity, a concept foundational to many indo-european pantheons.
Analysis
dei: from latin 'deus', meaning 'god'. functions as the root element denoting divinity. fy: from latin '-ficare', a verb-forming suffix meaning 'to make' or 'to do'. functions as a derivational suffix.