Emily Dickinson Lexicon

DE'I-TY, n. [Fr. déité; It. deità; Sp. deidad; L. deitas, from deus, Gr. θεος, God; W. duw; Ir. dia; Arm. doue; Fr. dieu; It. dio, iddio; Sp. dios; Port. deos; Gypsy, dewe, dewel; Sans. deva. The latter orthography coincides with the Gr. διος, ζευς, Jupiter, and L. divus, a god, and dium, the open air, or light. So in W. dyw, is day; Hindoo, diw; Gypsy, diwes, day. Qu. Chinese T. The word is probably contracted from dg, and may coincide with day, Sax. dæg, the primary sense of which is to open, expand, or to shoot forth, as the morning light. But the precise primary meaning is not certain.]

1. Godhead; divinity; the nature and essence of the Supreme Being; as, the deity of the Supreme Being is manifest in his works.
2. God; the Supreme Being, or infinite self-existing Spirit.
3. A fabulous god or goddess; a superior being supposed, by heathen nations, to exist, and to preside over particular departments of nature; as, Jupiter, Juno, Apollo, Diana, &c.
4. The supposed divinity or divine qualities of a pagan god. – Spenser. Ralegh.