Word
mythical
Phoneticsmyth·i·cal, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɪθəkəɫ/
UK/mˈɪθɪkəl/
Definitions
01from ancient stories
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. connected to or appearing in ancient myths and legends.
adj. relating to or characteristic of myths; existing only in traditional stories rather than history.
“The unicorn is a mythical creature that looks like a horse with a horn.”
“The tapestry depicted various mythical beasts, including griffins and phoenixes, woven in vibrant silk threads that had survived for centuries.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02not real or fabricated
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. something that people talk about as if it is real, but it is actually made up or false.
adj. existing only in the imagination; fictitious or widely believed to exist despite a lack of evidence.
“The company promised a mythical bonus that no employee ever actually received.”
“Economists warned that the projected growth was based on mythical figures that failed to account for the recent market downturn.”
Synonyms
03extremely rare
C1 · Advanced Informal
adj. so rare or hard to find that it almost seems like it does not exist.
adj. proverbially rare or difficult to locate; used to describe items or qualities that are seldom encountered in reality.
“Finding an affordable apartment in this city has become a mythical task.”
“Collectors spent decades searching for the mythical first pressing of the record, which was rumoured to have been destroyed in a warehouse fire.”
Antonyms
Real-World Examples
“For 600 years, writers, artists and scientists have been fascinated by the legend of Nicolas and Pernelle Flamel: a medieval Parisian couple who were said to have created the mythical philosophers' stone, a mysterious substance that supposedly turned ordinary metals into gold.” “Archeologists say Mayans believed the underground complex of water-filled caves leading into dry chambers -- including an underground road stretching some 330 feet -- was the path to a mythical underworld, known as Xibalba.” “Cape Finisterre is an area whose mythical pull has drawn travellers since the time of antiquity.” “The Know Your Meme, external site defines Slender Man, or Slenderman, as "a mythical creature often depicted as a tall, thin figure wearing a black suit and a blank face".” Etymology
From Latin mȳthicos + -al; by surface analysis, myth + -ical.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/mythical