English Reference
adjective

mythical

adj.
US /ˈmɪθəkəɫ/ UK /mˈɪθɪkəl/ myth·i·cal

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    connected to or appearing in ancient myths and legends.

    relating to or characteristic of myths; existing only in traditional stories rather than history.

    Simple

    The unicorn is a mythical creature that looks like a horse with a horn.

    In context

    The tapestry depicted various mythical beasts, including griffins and phoenixes, woven in vibrant silk threads that had survived for centuries.

  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate

    something that people talk about as if it is real, but it is actually made up or false.

    existing only in the imagination; fictitious or widely believed to exist despite a lack of evidence.

    Simple

    The company promised a mythical bonus that no employee ever actually received.

    In context

    Economists warned that the projected growth was based on mythical figures that failed to account for the recent market downturn.

  3. 03 C1 Advanced Informal

    so rare or hard to find that it almost seems like it does not exist.

    proverbially rare or difficult to locate; used to describe items or qualities that are seldom encountered in reality.

    Simple

    Finding an affordable apartment in this city has become a mythical task.

    In context

    Collectors spent decades searching for the mythical first pressing of the record, which was rumoured to have been destroyed in a warehouse fire.


From Latin mȳthicos + -al; by surface analysis, myth + -ical.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated