Agency Dictionary
heresy
nounPronunciation: /ˈher.ə.si/
In Portuguese: heresia
Spirituality & Myth
Philosophy & EthicsWhat does “heresy” mean?
A belief or opinion that goes against the established doctrine of a religion or, by extension, against what a group holds as unquestionable.
Etymology
From Middle English heresie, from Old French heresie, from Latin haeresis, from Greek hairesis, "a taking, a choice", and then "a school of thought", a noun of the verb haireisthai, "to take for oneself, to choose". In Greek the word was neutral and named philosophical schools. Christian writers gave it the sense of a doctrine chosen against the teaching of the Church, and from there came the general sense of an opinion opposed to what a group holds to be beyond question.
Usage note
Outside religion the word is usually half playful: putting ice in wine is "heresy" to some. The person is a heretic, with the stress on the first syllable.
Synonyms
- heterodoxy
- dissent
- unorthodoxy
- apostasy
- blasphemy
Often confused with
- blasphemy
- Heresy is a belief that departs from doctrine; blasphemy is speech or an act that insults what is sacred.
Word family
- heretic
- heretical
- heretically
- heresiarch
Usage examples
To claim that we are entering a post-literary era feels like an act of heresy against human expression.
Writing.1 - The Titanic Theory
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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Also from these editions: terms
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