The belief in or worship of multiple gods and goddesses. In polytheistic systems, different deities typically govern different aspects of life, nature, or human experience.
From Greek 'poly' (many) + 'theos' (god) + '-ism' (doctrine). The term emerged in the 17th century as scholars began systematically categorizing different religious belief systems.
Polytheism reflects humanity's earliest attempt to understand complex natural forces by personifying them as distinct divine beings! Ancient pantheons like the Greek Olympians or Hindu devas show how cultures created elaborate family trees of gods to explain everything from thunderstorms to love.
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