A myth is a traditional story, often involving gods, heroes, or magical events, that a culture uses to explain the world or teach values. The word is also used for widely held but false beliefs, like “the myth that humans only use 10% of their brains.”
From Greek *mythos* “speech, story, tale,” especially a traditional or legendary story. The meaning shifted in modern times to include the idea of stories that are not literally true but are culturally powerful.
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