Pantheon

lit. “all the gods”

The full set of gods in a religion — and, by extension, the canonical group of greats in any field.

Origin

From the Greek pan- (all) + theos (god). The Pantheon in Rome (built ~125 CE, still standing) was a temple to all the gods of the Roman state. The word moved from religion to mean the agreed-on greats of any discipline.

Modern usage

'In the pantheon of [X]' is a common critical phrase — the pantheon of jazz, of presidents, of NBA point guards. The implicit move is to canonize someone.

In the wild

She's already in the pantheon of modern essayists.— literary criticism

Titan

A figure of enormous stature or influence.

phrase

Latin Phrases

Magnum Opus

An artist's or thinker's defining masterwork — the thing they'll be remembered for.