1. of, relating to, or characteristic of euhemerism; explaining myths and legends as distorted accounts of real historical events or people
Usage: scholarly; academic

Examples

• The scholar took a euhemeristic approach to ancient Greek myths, arguing that Zeus was based on a real king.
• Euhemeristic interpretations suggest that many legendary heroes were inspired by actual historical figures.
• Critics of the euhemeristic method argue that it strips away the symbolic meaning of myths.
• The euhemeristic reading of the Arthurian legends proposes that King Arthur was a real British leader.
• Some historians favor euhemeristic explanations for the origins of religious narratives.