demythologize

Etymology

From de- + mythologize.

demythologize means to remove the mythological elements of. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.

Why “demythologize” is a great word

DEMYTHOLOGIZE — [Verb] To remove the mythological or legendary attributes from (a narrative, belief, or figure) in order to permit clearer appraisal and understanding. Formed within English by derivation from the prefix de- (expressing removal or reversal) and the verb mythologize (to construct or interpret as myth). Unlike "debunk," which aims to expose falsity, or "deconstruct," which dissects underlying assumptions, to demythologize is to strip away accreted wonder, seeking not to discredit but to discern. It is the historian's brush scraping gilded paint from a portrait to find the plain wood beneath, the folklorist untangling a hero's epic voyage from a mundane trade route, the morning light revealing a familiar, gnarled oak where a witch's silhouette seemed to stand—a sobering act of translation that often leaves the world a little smaller, and clearer.

verb

To remove the mythological elements of.“Near-synonym: euhemerize (demythologizing sense)”