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Myth and Urban Myth
For a word so often applied to events or stories from long, long ago, myth has a remarkably recent history in the English language. The earliest evidence for the word is from 1830, well after the time when the events themselves are thought to have occurred (though it should be noted that the related words mythology and mythic are hundreds of years older – still not as old as Achilles, but not young, either!). One application of myth, however – in the phrase urban myth – is quite new. Curiously, an urban myth does not usually have anything to do with the city: it is simply “a story about an unusual event or occurrence that many people believe is true but that is not true.” An example would be the tale that Elvis Presley is still alive after spending decades in a witness protection program. The phrase urban myth has been used to describe such hoaxes since at least 1971.
Examples of myth in a Sentence
Robert H. Bork Jr., National Review, 2 Aug. 2024
Meanwhile, Jenn Harris tries to unravel the mysteries, myth making and online drama surrounding the newest location in Pasadena of the Asian chain Star Leaf.
—Laurie Ochoa, Los Angeles Times, 27 July 2024
Despite the myth that earwigs can crawl into human ears — which landed them the unlucky name — the bugs pose no threat to humans, Liesch said.
—Maia Pandey, Journal Sentinel, 24 July 2024
Far from inventing all of these anecdotes himself, Boccaccio drew on ancient Greek myths, Indian folklore, local gossip and other sources, weaving together disparate tales to reflect on such overarching themes as fortune, love and chivalry.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for myth 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'myth.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Myth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/myth. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
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myth
noun
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