To make a god of someone or something, or to treat and worship them as if they were divine.
From Old French 'deifier', from Latin 'deificāre' (to make divine), combining 'deus' (god) and 'facere' (to make). Entered English around the 13th century with religious significance.
Ancient Romans deified their emperors to cement political power—it's a brilliant example of how calling something 'divine' was actually a tool of control, not genuine worship.
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