god

See also: Appendix:Variations of "god"

Languages (21)

Danish • Dutch • Gothic • Low German • Lower Sorbian • Middle Dutch • Middle English • Middle Low German • Navajo • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old English • Old Frisian • Old Saxon • Romansch • Serbo-Croatian • Slovene • Spanish • Swedish • West Frisian

Page categories

English

Etymology

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).

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. Not related to the word good or Persian (xodâ, “god”).

Pronunciation

enPR: gŏd
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɡɒd/, (archaic) /ɡɔːd/
- (General American, Ireland) IPA^(key): /ɡɑd/
- Audio (General American): (file)
- (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ɡɔd/, /ɡɔːd/
- (Canada, Wales) IPA^(key): /ɡɒːd/
- (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ɡɔd/
Homophone: gaud (cot–caught merger)
Rhymes: -ɒd

Noun

god (plural gods)

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.
An idol.
1. A representation of a deity, especially a statue or statuette.
2. (figurative) Something or someone particularly revered, worshipped, idealized, admired and/or followed.
  Leo Messi is my god!
  - 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Philippians 3:19:
    whose god is their belly
(figurative) A person in a very high position of authority, importance or influence; a powerful ruler or tyrant.
- 1959, Percy E. Corbett, Law in Diplomacy, page 105:
  In 1951 Stalin was a god and the official tone towards the West was one of total antagonism.
(figurative, informal) A person who is exceptionally skilled in a particular activity.
He is the god of soccer!
(figurative, informal) An exceedingly handsome man.
Lounging on the beach were several Greek gods.
- a. 1918, Wilfred Owen, Disabled:
  Someone had said he'd look a god in kilts.
(Internet, roleplaying games) The person who owns and runs a multi-user dungeon.
Synonyms: arch, imp
- 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 notes

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 forms

gawd, Gawd, g-d, G-d, God

Derived terms

Descendants

Belizean Creole: gaad
Sranan Tongo: gado

Translations

See god/translations § Noun.

Proper noun

god

(often derogatory, also philosophy) Alternative letter-case form of God
- 1530, William Tyndall, “An aunſwere vnto Syr Thomas Mores Dialogue”, in The whole workes of W. Tyndall […], published 1573, page 271:
  And ſuch is to beare yͤ names of god with croſſes betwene ech name about them.
- 2005, Diane L. Gabriel, Angel of My Heart, →ISBN, page 46:
  “I say fuck it. Fuck god and fuck all the religions that praise him.”
- 2010 [6th century], Boethius, translated by Andrew Smith, On Aristotle, On Interpretation 1–3, page 136:
  For if the necessity of events is bound up with god’s knowledge, if there is no necessity in events, the divine knowledge is abolished. And whose mind is so distorted by such an impious idea that he would dare to say this of god?
- 2012, Penn Jillette, God, No!: Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales, →ISBN, page 77:
  If I ask you if you believe in god, I just want to know if you have an imaginary omnipotent friend who you really believe lives outside of you in the real world.
- 2016, Andrew Sneddon, A is for Atheist: An A to Z of the Godfree Life‎^[1], →ISBN:
  Perhaps what is needed is just the right attitude: one’s heart should be open to god in order to hear his messages. […] It does not matter: such claims only prove my point about the communicative shortcomings of so-called divine signs.
- 2017, Myrto Hatzimichali, “Stoicism and Platonism in ‘Arius Didymus’”, in Troels Engberg-Pedersen, editor, From Stoicism to Platonism: The Development of Philosophy, 100 BCE–100 CE, →ISBN, page 91:
  This is the formulation of the moral end as ‘assimilation to god’, which would become standard in later Platonism.

Verb

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

(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?
(transitive) To deify.
- 1595, Edmund Spenser, Colin Clouts Come Home Againe:
  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.
- 1951, Eric Voegelin, Dante Germino ed., The New Science of Politics: An Introduction, published 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.["]

Translations

idolize

Dutch: verafgoden (nl), idoliseren (nl)
French: idolâtrer (fr)
Galician: idolatrar (gl)
Norwegian: forgude, idolisere
Portuguese: idolatrar (pt)
Spanish: endiosar (es), idolatrar (es)
Turkish: tanrılaştırmak (tr), ilahlaştırmak

deify

Bulgarian: обожествявам (obožestvjavam)
Dutch: verafgoden (nl)
French: déifier (fr)
Norwegian: forgude
Portuguese: deificar (pt)
Spanish: endiosar (es), deificar (es)
Turkish: tanrılaştırmak (tr), ilahlaştırmak

References

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

Anagrams

Dog, OGD, DOG, 'dog, ODG, dog

Danish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [ˈɡ̊oˀð], [ˈɡ̊oðˀ], [ˈɡ̊oˀ]
Rhymes: -oð
Audio: (file)

Adjective

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

good

References

“god” in Den Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

Inherited from Middle Dutch god, from Old Dutch got, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Compare English and West Frisian god, German Gott, Danish gud.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣɔt/
Rhymes: -ɔt
Audio (Belgium); [ʝɔt]: (file)
Audio (Netherlands); [xɔt], [ɣɔt]: (file)

Noun

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

god, deity

Derived terms

See also the derived terms at God.

Descendants

Negerhollands: god, got, godt

Gothic

Romanization

gōd

Romanization of 𐌲𐍉𐌳

Low German

Alternative forms

good, goot, got
(in other dialects) gaud (comparative bäter, beter)
(in other dialects) gut (comparative bȩter)
(in other dialects) gud (comparative biäter), gutt (inflected gudd-)

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡoʊt/, /ɣɔʊt/, /ɣoʊt/

Adjective

god

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

Usage notes

The comparative is bäter and the superlative is best.

Lower Sorbian

Noun

god

Superseded spelling of gód.

Middle Dutch

Noun

god m

Alternative spelling of got

Middle English

Etymology 1

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

Alternative forms

God, godd, godde

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡɔd/

Noun

god (plural goddes, genitive goddes)

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

Descendants

English: god
Scots: god
Yola: gud

Proper noun

god (genitive goddes, uncountable)

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.)‎^[2], 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.
- a. 1450, The Creation and the Fall of Lucifer in The York Plays, as recorded c. 1463–1477 in British Museum MS. Additional 35290:
  I am gracyus and grete, god withoutyn begynnyng, / I am maker vnmade, all mighte es in me, / I am lyfe and way vnto welth-wynnyng, / I am formaste and fyrste, als I byd sall it be.
  I am gracious and great, God without beginning, / I am the unmade maker—all might is in me, / I am life and the way to the attainment of salvation, / I am foremost and first—as I command, it shall be.

Related terms

Descendants

English: God, od (archaic, regional, euphemistic), god (as proper noun, often derogatory or in philosophy), gawd, Gawd, g-d, G-d
- → Pohnpeian: Koht
Scots: God
Yola: Gud, God

References

“god”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
“god, n.(1).”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2019-02-23.

Etymology 2

From Old English gōd (“good”).

Adjective

god

Alternative form of good

Middle Low German

Adjective

god

Alternative spelling of gôt.

Noun

god

Alternative spelling of got.
Alternative spelling of gôt.

Navajo

Etymology

From Proto-Athabaskan *-ɢᴜ̓t’.

Cognates:

Apachean: Western Apache -god, Chiricahua -go’
Others: Hupa -ɢot’, Mattole -goʔł, Galice -gʷay’, Chilcotin -gʷə́d, Slavey, Dogrib -gò, Chipewyan -gór, Sekani -gʷə̀de’, Beaver -gʷəd, Lower Tanana -gᴜd, Hän -gòd, Ahtna -ɢo’d, Dena'ina -ɢət’, Eyak -ɢuʰd

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): [kòt], [kɣʷòt]

Noun

-god (inalienable)

knee

Inflection

possessives of god

	singular	duoplural	plural
1st person	shigod	nihigod	danihigod
2nd person	nigod	nihigod	danihigod
3rd person	bigod
4th person (3o)	yigod
4th person (3a)	hagod
Indefinite (3i)	agod

Derived terms

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

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡuː/, [ɡɯᵝː]

Adjective

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

good

Derived terms

References

“god” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡuː/

Adjective

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

good

Derived terms

Related terms

Male given names:

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old Norse goð.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡoː/

Noun

god ?

god (only used in given names)
Synonym: gud

Related terms

Male given names:

Female given names:

Godrun

References

“god” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old English

Etymology 1

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/

Adjective

gōd (comparative betera, superlative betest, adverb wel)

good

Declension

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 terms

gōdnes

Descendants

Middle English: good, god, gode, goed, gude
- English: good, goode (obsolete)
  - Solombala English: гудъ (gud), гутъ (gut)
- Scots: guid
- Yola: gooude, gude, gayde

Noun

gōd n

good (something good or good things collectively)
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Ash-Wednesday"
  ...þæt is buh fram yfele and dō gōd.
  ...'Turn from evil, and do good.'
goods, possessions
- c. 992, Ælfric, "The First Sundayin September, when Job is read"
  ...and his suna fērdon and ðēnode ǣlc ōðrum mid his gōdum on ymhwyrfte æt his hūse...
  ...and his sons went and served each other with his goods in turn at his house...

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	gōd	gōd
accusative	gōd	gōd
genitive	gōdes	gōda
dative	gōde	gōdum

Etymology 2

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡod/

Noun

god n or m

god
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Passion of St. Julian and his wife Basilissa"
  Gehelp urum godum and hat to þe gefeccan þisne dry Iulianum þe ure goda anlicnysse mid ealle to-brytte...
  Help our gods, and command men to bring thee this sorcerer Julianus, who hath utterly broken the images of our gods,...
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint George, Martyr"
  Nāst þū lā Geori þæt ūre godas swincað mid þē and ġit hī synd ġeþyldiġe þæt hī þe miltsion. Nū lǣre ic ðē swā swā lēofne sunu þæt ðū þæra cristenra lāre forlǣte mid ealle and tō mīnum rǣde hraðe ġebūge swā þæt ðū offriġe þām ārwurðan Appoline and þū mycelne wurðmynt miht swā beġitan.
  Knowest thou not, O George, that our gods are striving with thee, and even yet they are patient, that they may pity thee; now I exhort thee, as a beloved son, that thou altogether quit the Christians' doctrine, and quickly incline to my counsel, so that thou sacrifice to the venerable Apollo, and thou mayest so obtain great honour.
- late 10th century, Ælfric, "The Seven Sleepers"
  Nu ge þam mærum godum offrian nellað, ne beo ge me næfre heonon-forð swa wurðe ne swa leofe swa ge ær wæron...
  Since ye will not offer to the great gods, ye shall never henceforth be to me so worthy nor so dear as ye were before;...
- c. 1021, Wulfstan, Winchester Code of Cnut, article 5.1:
  Hǣðensċipe biþ þæt man dēofolġield weorðiġe, þæt is þæt man weorðiġe hǣðenu godu and sunnan oþþe mōnan, fȳr oþþe flōd, wæterwiellas oþþe stānas oþþe ǣniġes cynnes wudutreowu, oþþe wiċċecræft lufiġe oþþe morðweorc ġefremme on ǣniġe wisan, oþþe on blōte oþþe frihte, oþþe swelcra gedwimera ǣniġ þing drēoge.
  Paganism is when you practice idolatry, that is, when you worship heathen gods and the sun or the moon, or fire or flood, or wells or stones or any kind of forest trees, or if you love witchcraft or commit murderous acts in any way, whether by sacrifice or by divination, or take any part in such delusions.

Declension

neuter

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	god	godu
accusative	god	godu
genitive	godes	goda
dative	gode	godum

masculine

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	god	godas
accusative	god	godas
genitive	godes	goda
dative	gode	godum

Synonyms

ōs

Derived terms

godcund (“divine, godlike”)
goddohtor (“goddaughter”)
godfæder (“godfather”)
godmōdor (“godmother”)
godsunu (“godson”)
gyden (“goddess”)

Proper noun

god m

Alternative letter-case form of God.

Declension

Strong a-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	God	—
accusative	God	—
genitive	Godes	—
dative	Gode	—

Descendants

Middle English: god, God, godd, godde
- English: god
- Scots: god
- Yola: gud

Old Frisian

Etymology 1

Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *gōd.

Pronunciation

(13^th CE) IPA^(key): [ɡoːd]
Hyphenation: god

Adjective

gōd

good

Declension

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

Descendants

North Frisian: gud, gödj, gur
Saterland Frisian: goud
West Frisian: goed

Etymology 2

Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god.

Pronunciation

(13^th CE) IPA^(key): [ɡod]
Hyphenation: god

Noun

god m

god
(Christianity) God
- c. 1485, Freeska Landriucht [The Law of the Frisian Land]‎^[3], page 1:
  THer era godes ſynre liauer moder Maria alle des himelſche heerſchipes.
  In honour of god, his mother Mary, all the heavenly hosts.

Declension

Declension of god (masculine consonant stem)
	singular	plural
nominative	god	god
genitive	godes	goda
dative	gode	godum, godem
accusative	god	god

Descendants

North Frisian:
- Föhr-Amrum: God
Saterland Frisian: God
West Frisian: god, God

References

Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009) An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 197

Old Saxon

Etymology 1

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

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣoːd/
IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/

Adjective

gōd (comparative betiro, superlative betst)

good
- Heliand, verse 363
  Davides thes gōdon
  David the Good

Declension

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

Descendants

Middle Low German: gôt
- German Low German: good
- Low German: goot

Etymology 2

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣoːd/
IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/

Noun

gōd n

goodness, benefit
- Heliand, verse 1456
  dōt im gōdes filu
  They gave to them loads of goods

Declension

Declension of gōd (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	gōd	gōd
accusative	gōd	gōd
genitive	gōdes	gōdō
dative	gōde	gōdun
instrumental	—	—

Descendants

Middle Low German: gôt
- German Low German: Good
- Low German: Goot

Etymology 3

Inherited from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą. Compare Old English god, Old Frisian god, Old High German got, Old Norse guð.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣɔd/
IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/

Noun

god n

god
- Heliand, verse 326
  godes ēgan barn
  God's own child

Declension

Declension of god (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	god	godu
accusative	god	godu
genitive	godes	godō
dative	gode	godum
instrumental	—	—

Descendants

Middle Low German: got

Etymology 4

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɣɔd/
IPA^(key): /ɡoːd/

Noun

god m

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

Declension

Declension of god (masculine a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	god	godos
accusative	god	godos
genitive	godes	godō
dative	gode	godum
instrumental	—	—

Descendants

Middle Low German: got

Romansch

Alternative forms

Etymology

Of probable Germanic origin. Cognate with German Wald, German Low German Woold, Dutch woud, English wold).

Noun

god m (plural gods)

(Puter, Vallader) forest

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited 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).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡôːd/

Noun

gȏd m (Cyrillic spelling го̑д)

Declension

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 terms

Related terms

gȍdina

Particle

god (Cyrillic spelling год)

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

Slovene

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡóːt/

Noun

gọ̑d m inan

name day
Synonyms: godovni dan, godovno, imendan
name day celebration
Synonym: godovanje
(obsolete) anniversary^[→SSKJ]
Synonym: obletnica

Declension

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First masculine declension (hard o-stem, inanimate, -ov- infix) , long mixed accent, ending -u in genitive singular
nom. sing.	gọ̑d
gen. sing.	godȗ
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏvi
genitive rodȋlnik	godȗ	godóv	godóv
dative dajȃlnik	gọ̑du, gọ̑di	godȏvoma, godȏvama	godȏvom, gọ̑dȏvam
accusative tožȋlnik	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏve
locative mẹ̑stnik	gọ̑du, gọ̑di	godȏvih	godȏvih
instrumental orọ̑dnik	gọ̑dom	godȏvoma, godȏvama	godȏvi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏvi

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First masculine declension (hard o-stem, inanimate, -ov- infix) , fixed accent
nom. sing.	gọ̑d
gen. sing.	gọ̑da
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏvi
genitive rodȋlnik	gọ̑da	godóv	godóv
dative dajȃlnik	gọ̑du, gọ̑di	godȏvoma, godȏvama	godȏvom, gọ̑dȏvam
accusative tožȋlnik	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏve
locative mẹ̑stnik	gọ̑du, gọ̑di	godȏvih	godȏvih
instrumental orọ̑dnik	gọ̑dom	godȏvoma, godȏvama	godȏvi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	gọ̑d	godȏva	godȏvi

Derived terms

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English god. Compare with god tier.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈɡod/ [ˈɡoð̞]
Rhymes: -od
Syllabification: god

Adjective

god m or f (masculine and feminine plural godes)

(Internet slang) fire; cool, amazing; excellent
Synonym: genial

Esta película es god.
This movie is fire.

Swedish

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ɡuːd/, (colloquial) /ɡuː/
Audio: (file)

Adjective

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

good, morally commendable
en god människa
a good person

en god gärning
a good deed

att vilja göra gott [nominalized]
to want to do good

en god hustru
a good wife [could also be considered to belong to other senses]
tasty, good (tasting good)
Synonyms: välsmakande, (colloquial) go

Är maten god?
Is the food good? [The intuition in Swedish is closer to "tasty" than "good" – see the usage notes below]

Mums! Gott!
Yum! Tasty!

Kebabsåsen var jättegod
The kebab sauce was really good / delicious
good (having pleasing qualities)
goda nyheter
good news ["bra" is less idiomatic]

ett gott råd
a piece of good advice ["bra" is unidiomatic]

vara i god form
be in good form [currently perform well – interchangeable with "bra"]
good, proficient
en god berättare
a good story-teller ["bra" is less idiomatic]

en god skytt
a good shot [someone with good aim, etc. – "bra" is also common]
quite large in extent or degree, good, goodly
Synonym: (often) bra

vinna med god marginal
win by a wide/good margin ["bra" is unidiomatic]

Det är en god bit kvar att gå
It's quite some ways left to go [interchangeable with "bra"]

Jag har god lust att anmäla dom
I'm quite tempted to report them ["bra" is less idiomatic]
good (of friends and the like)
De är goda vänner
They are good friends [with each other – "bra" brings the intuition closer to "both of them is a good friend"]

Usage notes

In cases where god and bra are idiomatically interchangeable, god often sounds a bit old-fashioned.
"God mat" only refers to taste (and is idiomatic when describing food as tasty). "Good food" in a more general sense (well-made, nutritious, tasty, etc. – context-dependent) is "bra mat."

Declension

Inflection of **god**
Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative¹
common singular	god	godare	godast
neuter singular	gott	godare	godast
plural	goda	godare	godast
masculine plural²	gode	godare	godast

Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular³	gode	godare	godaste
all	goda	godare	godaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Inflection of **god**
Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative¹
common singular	god	bättre	bäst
neuter singular	gott	bättre	bäst
plural	goda	bättre	bäst
masculine plural²	goda	bättre	bäst

Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular³	gode	bättre	bäste
all	goda	bättre	bästa

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “not evil”): elak, ond
(antonym(s) of “tasty”): äcklig, illasmakande
(antonym(s) of “not bad”): dålig

Derived terms

References

Anagrams

dog

West Frisian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Frisian god, from Proto-West Germanic *god, from Proto-Germanic *gudą.

Noun

god c (plural goaden, diminutive godsje)

god, deity

god

English

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Usage notes

Alternative forms

Derived terms

Descendants

Translations

Proper noun

Verb

Translations

See also

References

Further reading

Anagrams

Danish

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

References

Dutch

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Descendants

Gothic

Romanization

Low German

Alternative forms

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Usage notes

Lower Sorbian

Noun

Middle Dutch

Noun

Middle English

Etymology 1

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Noun

Descendants

Proper noun

Related terms

Descendants

References

Etymology 2

Adjective

Middle Low German

Adjective

Noun

Navajo

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Inflection

Derived terms

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

References

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Adjective

Derived terms

Related terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Related terms

References

Old English

Etymology 1