Weekly Word: Apotheosis

Apotheosis is “the elevation or exaltation of a person to the rank of a god”. It can also mean “the ideal example” or “epitome”.

Photo by Mark Deffenbaugh.

The word comes from Greek apo- “change” and theos “god”, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary.

Here are a few examples of apotheosis found in popular culture (listed on Wikipedia):

• “At the beginning of Stephen King’s The Gunslinger, […] it memorably describes the series’ thematic desert setting as ‘the apotheosis of all deserts’.”
• “Salvador Dalí painted Apotheosis of the Dollar in 1965.”
• “At least one character in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion explicitly mentions the apotheosis of Tiber Septim, an ancient emperor in the history of the game, who became the god Talos.”

And the photo above carries this description: “Apotheosis of St. Louis,” the statue of Saint Louis, King Louis IX of France, was the original symbol of the City of St. Louis.

With this word showing up in so many places, how is it that I never heard of it before?