Wiktionary

god

See also: Appendix:Variations of "god"

EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

 
The Vedic god Indra (sense 1) on his mount Airavata.
 
A statue depicting Zeus, a Greek god (sense 1).
 
A Neopagan altar in Björkö, Sweden; the larger wooden figure represents the Norse god Frey (sense 1).

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, from *ǵʰutóm, neuter/inanimate of Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰutós (“invoked (one)”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰewH- (“to call, to invoke”) or *ǵʰew- (“to pour”). Not related to the word good or Persian خدا‎ (xodâ, “god”).

Cognates include Russian звать (zvatʹ, “to call”), Sanskrit होत्र (hotra, “calling, oblation, sacrifice”) and Latin fūtilis (“easily pours out, leaky”) (whence English futile). Doublet of futile.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god (plural gods)

  1. A deity or supreme being; a supernatural, typically immortal, being with superior powers, to which personhood is attributed.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:god
    The most frequently used name for the Islamic god is Allah.
    • 2002, Chuck Palahniuk, Lullaby:
      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.
  2. Alternative letter-case form of God.
  3. An idol.
    Leo Messi is my god!
    1. A representation of a deity, especially a statue or statuette.
    2. Something or someone particularly revered, worshipped, idealized, admired and/or followed.
  4. (figurative, slang) A person who is exceptionally skilled in a particular activity.
    He is the god of soccer!
  5. (figurative) A person in a high position of authority, importance or influence.
  6. (figurative) A powerful ruler or tyrant.
  7. (colloquial) An exceedingly handsome man.
    Lounging on the beach were several Greek gods.
  8. (Internet, role-playing games) The person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon.
    • 1996, Andy Eddy, Internet after hours:
      The gods usually have several wizards, or "immortals," to assist them in building the MUD.
    • 2003, David Lojek, Emote to the Max, page 11:
      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.

Usage notesEdit

The word god is often applied both to males and to females. The word was originally neuter in Proto-Germanic; monotheistic – notably Judeo-Christian – usage completely shifted the gender to masculine, necessitating the development of a feminine form, goddess. (In Old English the feminine gyden, as well as a more explicitly marked masculine goda, existed.)

Alternative formsEdit

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • Sranan Tongo: gado

TranslationsEdit

See god/translations § Noun.

Proper nounEdit

god

  1. (very rare) Alternative form of God
    • 1530, William Tyndall, An aunſwere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue in The whole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy Martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England, collected and compiled in one Tome togither, beyng before ſcattered, & now in Print here exhibited to the Church (1573), page 271/2:
      And ſuch is to beare yͤ names of god with croſſes betwene ech name about them.
    • 1900, Gilbert Keith Chesterton, "The Happy Man" in The Wild Knight and Other Poems:
      Golgotha's ghastly trinity—
      Three persons and one god.

VerbEdit

god (third-person singular simple present gods, present participle godding, simple past and past participle godded)

  1. (transitive) To idolize.
    • 1608, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Coriolanus, Act V Scene III:
      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.
    • 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.
    • 2001, Conrad C. Fink, Sportswriting: The Lively Game, page 78
      "Godded him up" ... It's the fear of discerning journalists: Does coverage of athletic stars, on field and off, approach beatification of the living?
  2. (transitive) To deify.
    • 1595, Edmund Spenser, Colin Clouts Come Home Againe.
      Then got he bow and fhafts of gold and lead, / In which fo fell and puiflant he grew, / That Jove himfelfe his powre began to dread, / And, taking up to heaven, him godded new.
    • 1951, Eric Voegelin, Dante Germino ed., The New Science of Politics: An Introduction (1987), page 125
      The superman marks the end of a road on which we find such figures as the "godded man" of English Reformation mystics
    • 1956, C. S. Lewis, Fritz Eichenberg, Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold, page 241
      "She is so lately godded that she is still a rather poor goddess, Stranger.

TranslationsEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

  • Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967
  • Bosworth, Toller, "An Anglo Saxon Dictionary": http://bosworth.ff.cuni.cz/017298

Further readingEdit

AnagramsEdit

DanishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Danish gōþær, gothær, from Old Norse góðr (“good”), from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz. Cognate with English good and German gut.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): [ˈɡ̊oˀð], [ˈɡ̊oðˀ], [ˈɡ̊oˀ]
  • Rhymes: -oð
  This entry needs audio files. If you are a native speaker with a microphone, please record some and upload them. (For audio required quickly, visit WT:APR.)

AdjectiveEdit

god (neuter godt, plural and definite singular attributive gode, comparative bedre, superlative (predicative) bedst, superlative (attributive) bedste)

  1. good

ReferencesEdit

DutchEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Middle Dutch god, from Old Dutch got, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą, from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰutós (“invoked (one)”). Compare English and West Frisian god, German Gott, Danish gud.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god m (plural goden, diminutive godje n, feminine godin)

  1. god, deity

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

GothicEdit

RomanizationEdit

gōd

  1. Romanization of 𐌲𐍉𐌳

Low GermanEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Middle Low German gôt, from Old Saxon gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ɡoʊt/, /ɣɔʊt/, /ɣoʊt/

AdjectiveEdit

god

  1. (in some dialects) good (alternative spelling of goot)

Usage notesEdit

  • The comparative is bäter and the superlative is best.

Lower SorbianEdit

NounEdit

god

  1. Superseded spelling of gód.

Middle DutchEdit

NounEdit

god m

  1. Alternative spelling of got

Middle EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Old English god, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰutós.

Alternative formsEdit

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god (plural goddes, genitive goddes)

  1. A god or deity; a divine individual.
  2. A person worshipped as a divinity.
DescendantsEdit

Proper nounEdit

god (genitive goddes, uncountable)

  1. God (the deity of Abrahamic religions, especially the Christian God, considered to be Jesus Christ)
    • c. 1395, John Wycliffe, John Purvey [et al.], transl., Bible (Wycliffite Bible (later version), MS Lich 10.)‎[1], published c. 1410, Apocalips 4:5, page 118v, column 1; republished as Wycliffe's translation of the New Testament, Lichfield: Bill Endres, 2010:
      ⁊ leıtıs ⁊ voıces ⁊ þundꝛıngıs camen out of þe troone. ⁊ ſeuene lau[m]pıs bꝛe[n]nynge bıfoꝛe þe troone.· whıche ben þe ſeuene ſpırıtıs of god
      And lightning, sounds, and thunder came out of the throne, and seven lamps were burning in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
Related termsEdit
DescendantsEdit

ReferencesEdit

Etymology 2Edit

From Old English gōd (“good”).

AdjectiveEdit

god

  1. Alternative form of good

Middle Low GermanEdit

AdjectiveEdit

god

  1. Alternative spelling of gôt.

NounEdit

god

  1. Alternative spelling of got.
  2. Alternative spelling of gôt.

NavajoEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Athabaskan *-ɢᴜ̓t’.

Cognates:

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

-god (inalienable)

  1. knee

Derived termsEdit

  • agod (“someone’s knee”)
  • hagod (“one’s knee”)
  • bigod (“his/her/their knee”)
  • shigod (“my knee”)

Norwegian BokmålEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse góðr, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ɡuː/, [ɡɯᵝː]

AdjectiveEdit

god (neuter singular godt, definite singular and plural gode, comparative bedre, indefinite superlative best, definite superlative beste)

  1. good

Derived termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

Norwegian NynorskEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Norse góðr, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”). Akin to English good.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

god (masculine and feminine god, neuter godt, definite singular and plural gode, comparative betre, indefinite superlative best, definite superlative beste)

  1. good

Derived termsEdit

ReferencesEdit

Old EnglishEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

gōd (comparative betera, superlative betest, adverb wel)

  1. good
DeclensionEdit
Declension of gōd — Strong
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōd gōd gōd
Accusative gōdne gōde gōd
Genitive gōdes gōdre gōdes
Dative gōdum gōdre gōdum
Instrumental gōde gōdre gōde
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōde gōda, gōde gōd
Accusative gōde gōda, gōde gōd
Genitive gōdra gōdra gōdra
Dative gōdum gōdum gōdum
Instrumental gōdum gōdum gōdum
Declension of gōd — Weak
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōda gōde gōde
Accusative gōdan gōdan gōde
Genitive gōdan gōdan gōdan
Dative gōdan gōdan gōdan
Instrumental gōdan gōdan gōdan
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōdan gōdan gōdan
Accusative gōdan gōdan gōdan
Genitive gōdra, gōdena gōdra, gōdena gōdra, gōdena
Dative gōdum gōdum gōdum
Instrumental gōdum gōdum gōdum
Derived termsEdit
DescendantsEdit

NounEdit

gōd n

  1. good (something good or good things collectively)
DeclensionEdit
Declension of god (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative gōd gōd
accusative gōd gōd
genitive gōdes gōda
dative gōde gōdum

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Originally neuter, then changed to masculine to reflect the change in religion to Christianity.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god n or m

  1. a god
DeclensionEdit
neuter
Declension of god (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative god godu
accusative god godu
genitive godes goda
dative gode godum
masculine
Declension of god (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative god godas
accusative god godas
genitive godes goda
dative gode godum
SynonymsEdit
Derived termsEdit

Proper nounEdit

god m

  1. Alternative letter-case form of God.
DeclensionEdit
Declension of god (strong a-stem)
Case Singular Plural
nominative God —
accusative God —
genitive Godes —
dative Gode —
DescendantsEdit

Old FrisianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

AdjectiveEdit

gōd

  1. good

InflectionEdit

Declension of god — Strong
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōd gōde gōd
Accusative gōdne, -ene, -en gōde gōd
Genitive gōdes gōdere gōdes
Dative gōda, -e gōdere gōda, -e
Instrumental gōda, -e gōdere gōda, -e
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōda, -e gōda, -e gōda, -e
Accusative gōda, -e gōda, -e gōda, -e
Genitive gōdera gōdera gōdera
Dative gōda, -e gōda, -e gōda, -e
Instrumental gōda, -e gōda, -e gōda, -e
Declension of god — Weak
Singular Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōda gōde gōde
Accusative gōda gōda gōde
Genitive gōda gōda gōda
Dative gōda gōda gōda
Instrumental gōda gōda gōda
Plural Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative gōda gōda gōda
Accusative gōda gōda gōda
Genitive gōdena gōdena gōdena
Dative gōdum, -on gōdum, -on gōdum, -on
Instrumental gōdum, -on gōdum, -on gōdum, -on

DescendantsEdit

  • North Frisian:
    Föhr-Amrum: gud
  • Saterland Frisian: goud
  • West Frisian: goed

Old SaxonEdit

Etymology 1Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

Compare Old English gōd, Old Frisian gōd, Old High German guot, Old Dutch guot, Old Norse góðr.

PronunciationEdit

AdjectiveEdit

gōd (comparative betiro, superlative betst)

  1. good
    • Heliand, verse 363
      Davides thes gōdon
      David the Good
DeclensionEdit
Positive forms of gōd
Strong declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative gōd gōde gōd gōde gōd gōdu
accusative gōdana gōde gōd gōde gōda gōdu
genitive gōdes gōdarō gōdes gōdarō gōdaro gōdarō
dative gōdumu gōdum gōdumu gōdum gōdaro gōdum
Weak declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative gōdo gōdu gōda gōdu gōda gōdu
accusative gōdun gōdun gōda gōdun gōdun gōdun
genitive gōdun gōdonō gōdun gōdonō gōdun gōdonō
dative gōdun gōdum gōdun gōdum gōdun gōdum
Comparative forms of gōd (weak only)
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative betiro betiru betira betiru betira betiru
accusative betirun betirun betira betirun betirun betirun
genitive betirun betironō betirun betironō betirun betironō
dative betirun betirum betirun betirum betirun betirum
Superlative forms of gōd
Strong declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative betst betste betst betste betst betstu
accusative betstana betste betst betste betsta betstu
genitive betstes betstarō betstes betstarō betstaro betstarō
dative betstumu betstum betstumu betstum betstaro betstum
Weak declension
gender masculine neuter feminine
case singular plural singular plural singular plural
nominative betsto betstu betsta betstu betsta betstu
accusative betstun betstun betsta betstun betstun betstun
genitive betstun betstonō betstun betstonō betstun betstonō
dative betstun betstum betstun betstum betstun betstum


DescendantsEdit
  • Middle Low German: gôt
    • German Low German: good
    • Low German: goot

Etymology 2Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *gōd, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

gōd n

  1. goodness, benefit
    • Heliand, verse 1456
      dōt im gōdes filu
      They gave to them loads of goods
DeclensionEdit
Declension of gōd (neuter a-stem)
singular plural
nominative gōd gōd
accusative gōd gōd
genitive gōdes gōdō
dative gōde gōdun
instrumental — —


DescendantsEdit
  • Middle Low German: gôt
    • German Low German: Good
    • Low German: Goot

Etymology 3Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą, from the Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰutós (“invoked (one)”). Compare Old English god, Old Frisian god, Old High German got, Old Norse guð.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god n

  2. god
    • Heliand, verse 326
      godes ēgan barn
      God's own child
DeclensionEdit
Declension of god (neuter a-stem)
singular plural
nominative god godu
accusative god godu
genitive godes godō
dative gode godum
instrumental — —


DescendantsEdit
  • Middle Low German: got

Etymology 4Edit

From Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą.

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

god m

  1. God, the Christian god
    • Heliand, verse 11
      thia habdon maht godes helpa fan himila
      They had the power by the help of God in the heavens
DeclensionEdit
Declension of god (masculine a-stem)
singular plural
nominative god godos
accusative god godos
genitive godes godō
dative gode godum
instrumental — —


DescendantsEdit
  • Middle Low German: got

RomanschEdit

Alternative formsEdit

EtymologyEdit

Of probable Germanic origin (compare German Wald, Dutch woud, English wold).

NounEdit

god m (plural gods)

  1. (Puter, Vallader) forest

Serbo-CroatianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Slavic *godъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *gadás, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ-. Cognate with Slovene god, Old Church Slavonic годъ (godŭ), Russian год (god).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

gȏd m (Cyrillic spelling го̑д)

  1. name day
  2. anniversary, holiday
  3. ring (on a tree)

DeclensionEdit

Declension of god
singular plural
nominative gȏd gȍdovi
genitive goda godova
dative godu godovima
accusative god godove
vocative gode godovi
locative godu godovima
instrumental godom godovima

Derived termsEdit

ParticleEdit

god (Cyrillic spelling год)

  1. generalization particle
    (t)ko god ― whoever
    što god ― whatever
    gdje god ― wherever
    koji god ― whichever
    Uzmi koji god hoćeš! ― Take whichever you want!
    kad god ― whenever
    čiji god ― whoever's
    kako god ― in whichever way
    kakav god ― of whatever kind
    koliki god ― of whichever size
    koliko god ― no matter how much/many

SloveneEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Proto-Slavic *godъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic *gadás, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ-. Cognate with Serbo-Croatian god, Old Church Slavonic годъ (godŭ).

PronunciationEdit

NounEdit

gọ̑d m inan

  1. name day

InflectionEdit

Masculine inan., hard o-stem, mobile accent, plural in -ôv-
nom. sing. gód
gen. sing. godú
singular dual plural
nominative
(imenovȃlnik) 		gód godôva godôvi
genitive
(rodȋlnik) 		godú godôv godôv
dative
(dajȃlnik) 		gódu godôvoma godôvom
accusative
(tožȋlnik) 		gód godôva godôve
locative
(mẹ̑stnik) 		gódu godôvih godôvih
instrumental
(orọ̑dnik) 		gódom godôvoma godôvi
Masculine inan., hard o-stem, plural in -ôv-
nom. sing. gód
gen. sing. góda
singular dual plural
nominative
(imenovȃlnik) 		gód godôva godôvi
genitive
(rodȋlnik) 		góda godôv godôv
dative
(dajȃlnik) 		gódu godôvoma godôvom
accusative
(tožȋlnik) 		gód godôva godôve
locative
(mẹ̑stnik) 		gódu godôvih godôvih
instrumental
(orọ̑dnik) 		gódom godôvoma godôvi

Further readingEdit

  • “god”, in Slovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU, portal Fran

SwedishEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Swedish gōþer, from Old Norse góðr, from Proto-Germanic *gōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, to unite”).

PronunciationEdit

  • IPA(key): /ɡuːd/, (colloquial) /ɡuː/
  • audio(file)

AdjectiveEdit

god (comparative godare or bättre, superlative godast or bäst)

  1. good (not evil), kind
  2. good (in taste)
    Är maten god?
    Is the food good?
  3. (somewhat dated) good (not bad), fine, useful

DeclensionEdit

Inflection of god
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular god godare godast
Neuter singular gott godare godast
Plural goda godare godast
Masculine plural3 gode godare godast
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 gode godare godaste
All goda godare godaste
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic
Inflection of god
Indefinite Positive Comparative Superlative2
Common singular god bättre bäst
Neuter singular gott bättre bäst
Plural goda bättre bäst
Masculine plural3 goda bättre bäst
Definite Positive Comparative Superlative
Masculine singular1 gode bättre bäste
All goda bättre bästa
1) Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.
2) The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
3) Dated or archaic

AntonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

Derived terms

AnagramsEdit

West FrisianEdit

EtymologyEdit

From Old Frisian god, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰutós.

NounEdit

god c (plural goaden, diminutive godsje)

  1. god, deity

Further readingEdit

  • “God”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
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