deify

From French déifier, from Latin deificāre, from deus (“god”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdeɪ.ɪ.faɪ/, /ˈdiː.ɪ.faɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdiː.ə.faɪ/, /ˈdeɪ.ə.faɪ/

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deify (third-person singular simple present deifies, present participle deifying, simple past and past participle deified)

1. (transitive) To make into a god.

   Synonyms: apotheosize, exalt, idealize, euhemerize

2. (transitive) To treat as worthy of worship; to regard as a deity.
   • 2025 May 26, Eva Corlett, quoting Shane Jones, “New Zealand will not be ‘guilt-tripped’ over environment, resources minister says”, in The Guardian‎^[1], →ISSN:

     “Those people who have sought to deify our wilderness … those days are over. We are not going to sit around and read poetry to rare lizards, whilst our current account deficit goes down the gurgler,” Jones said.

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