Inherited from Middle English god, from Old English god, originally neuter, then changed to masculine to reflect the change in religion to Christianity, from Proto-West Germanic *god n, from Proto-Germanic *gudą; see there for further origin. Cognates Cognate with Scots God (“God”), Yola God, Gud (“God”), gud (“god”), Saterland Frisian God (“God”), West Frisian God (“God”), god (“deity, god”), Alemannic German, Cimbrian, German, Luxembourgish and Mòcheno Gott (“God”), Central Franconian Jott (“God”), Dutch god (“deity, god”), Limburgish Gód (“God”), gód (“god”), Vilamovian Göt (“God”), Yiddish גאָט (got, “god; God”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Swedish gud (“god; God”), Faroese Gud (“God”), Icelandic goð (“idol, pagan god”), guð, Guð (“God”), Norwegian Nynorsk Gu, Gud (“God”), gu, gud (“god”), Gothic 𐌲𐌿𐌸 (guþ, “deity, god; God”). Not related to the word good or Persian خدا (xodâ, “god”).
A deity or supreme being; a supernatural, typically immortal, being with superior powers, to which personhood is attributed.
The most frequently used name for the Islamic god is Allah.
When ancient Greeks had a thought, it occurred to them as a god or goddess giving an order. Apollo was telling them to be brave. Athena was telling them to fall in love.2002, Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby:
› An idol.
2
A representation of a deity, especially a statue or statuette.
whose god is their belly1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 3:19:
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There was an order in the universe, but it was no longer the order of the past. There was only one God, whose name was steam and spoke in the voice of Malthus, McCulloch, and anyone who employed machinery.1962, Eric Hobsbawm, The Age of Revolution. 1789-1848, page 186:
4
Figuratively A person in a very high position of authority, importance or influence; a powerful ruler or tyrant.
In 1951 Stalin was a god and the official tone towards the West was one of total antagonism.1959, Percy E. Corbett, Law in Diplomacy, page 105:
5
Figuratively, Informal A person who is exceptionally skilled in a particular activity.
Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts.a. 1918, Wilfred Owen, Disabled:
7
Internet The person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon.
Roleplaying games
The gods usually have several wizards, or "immortals," to assist them in building the MUD.1996, Andy Eddy, Internet after hours:
The wizzes are only the junior grade of the MUD illuminati. The people who attain the senior grade of MUD freemasonry by starting their own MUD, with all due hubris, are known as gods.2003, David Lojek, Emote to the Max, page 11:
Inherited from Middle English god, from Old English god, originally neuter, then changed to masculine to reflect the change in religion to Christianity, from Proto-West Germanic *god n, from Proto-Germanic *gudą; see there for further origin. Cognates Cognate with Scots God (“God”), Yola God, Gud (“God”), gud (“god”), Saterland Frisian God (“God”), West Frisian God (“God”), god (“deity, god”), Alemannic German, Cimbrian, German, Luxembourgish and Mòcheno Gott (“God”), Central Franconian Jott (“God”), Dutch god (“deity, god”), Limburgish Gód (“God”), gód (“god”), Vilamovian Göt (“God”), Yiddish גאָט (got, “god; God”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål and Swedish gud (“god; God”), Faroese Gud (“God”), Icelandic goð (“idol, pagan god”), guð, Guð (“God”), Norwegian Nynorsk Gu, Gud (“God”), gu, gud (“god”), Gothic 𐌲𐌿𐌸 (guþ, “deity, god; God”). Not related to the word good or Persian خدا (xodâ, “god”).
1
To idolize.
CORIOLANUS: This last old man, / Whom with a crack'd heart I have sent to Rome, / Loved me above the measure of a father; / Nay, godded me, indeed.1608, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Coriolanus, act V, scene III:
a. 1866, Edward Bulwer Lytton, "Death and Sisyphus". To men the first necessity is gods; / And if the gods were not, / " Man would invent them, tho' they godded stones.
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"Godded him up" ... It's the fear of discerning journalists: Does coverage of athletic stars, on field and off, approach beatification of the living?2001, Conrad C. Fink, Sportswriting: The Lively Game, page 78:
2
To deify.
Then got he bow and shafts of gold and lead, / In which so fell and puissant he grew, / That Jove himselfe his powre began to dread, / And, taking up to heaven, him godded new.1595, Edmund Spenser, Colin Clouts Come Home Againe:
The superman marks the end of a road on which we find such figures as the "godded man" of English Reformation mystics1951, Eric Voegelin, Dante Germino ed., The New Science of Politics: An Introduction, published 1987, page 125:
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"She is so lately godded that she is still a rather poor goddess, Stranger.["]1956, C. S. Lewis, Fritz Eichenberg, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold, page 241:
Etymology Derived from Middle English God. From a proprialization of the common noun, god.
1
Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of oh God: expressing annoyance or frustration.
God, is this because of the "I don't love you anymore" T-shirt I bought? It was a joke!
Admiral Anderson: God... feels like years since I just sat down.2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel (Priority: Earth):