godlike means having the characteristics of a god.
godlike is pronounced /ˈɡɑdlaɪk/.
Why “godlike” is a great word
Having the form or characteristics of a deity, particularly in power, excellence, or benevolence. From Middle English, from god (from Old English god, "deity, supreme being") + -like (suffix meaning "having the form or characteristics of"), first recorded in English use between 1505 and 1515. Unlike "divine," which implies an intrinsic, sacred nature, or "superhuman," which merely suggests surpassing mortal limits, "godlike" is reserved for a mortal who has momentarily transcended, embodying a god’s specific majesty. It is the effortless strength in the hero’s limbs as he raises the foundation stone; it is the profound serenity on the face of a philosopher lost in thought; it is the terrifying mercy shown by a conqueror to a fallen foe—a glimpse of a higher order that makes our own humanity seem both pitiful and precious.
Etymology
From God + -like; compare godlike.
adj
- Having the characteristics of a god.e.g.“Man himself had been his greatest blunder; he had created a rival to himself; science makes men godlike — it is all up with priests and gods when man becomes scientific!”
- Characteristic of a god.e.g.“And each imagin'd pinnacle and steep / Of godlike hardship tells me I must die / Like a sick Eagle looking at the sky.”
- Similar or comparable to God, the sole deity of a monotheistic religion.
Words closest in meaning
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