A deity is a supernatural being that is considered divine or sacred. The term "deity" can refer to a god, goddess, or any other supernatural being that is worshipped by people who believe it controls or exerts force over some aspect of the world. Deities are often viewed as beings with powers greater than those of ordinary humans, but who interact with humans, positively or negatively, in ways that carry humans to new levels of consciousness, beyond the grounded preoccupations of ordinary life.

Deities are typically conceptualized as a supernatural or divine concept, manifesting in ideas and knowledge, in a form that combines excellence in some or all aspects, wrestling with weakness and questions in other aspects, heroic in outlook and actions, yet tied up with emotions and desires. In most polytheistic religions, the different gods and goddesses are representations of forces of nature or ancestral principles, and can be viewed either as autonomous or as aspects or emanations of a creator God or transcendental absolute principle (monistic theologies), which manifests immanently in nature.

Deities are central to many religions, but not all religions involve deities. Religions that include deities are sometimes called theistic religions, and they are frequently divided into categories based on their views on the nature of deities, most notably whether there is a single supreme god or goddess or whether there are multiple gods and goddesses. Monotheistic religions are those in which there is only one god or goddess, and polytheistic religions are those in which there are multiple gods or goddesses.

In summary, deities are supernatural beings that are considered divine or sacred and are worshipped by people who believe they control or exert force over some aspect of the world. They are often viewed as beings with powers greater than those of ordinary humans, and they are central to many religions.