atheist

[ ey-thee-ist ]

noun

1. a person who does not believe in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
2. a person who believes that there is no supreme being or beings.

atheist

/ ˈeɪθɪˌɪst /

noun

1. a person who does not believe in God or gods

adjective

1. of or relating to atheists or atheism

Derived Forms

• ˌatheˈistic, adjective
• ˌatheˈistically, adverb

Other Words From

• an·ti·a·the·ist noun adjective
• pro·a·the·ist noun adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atheist¹

First recorded in 1565–75; from Greek áthe(os) “godless” + -ist; a- ⁶( def ), theo-

Synonym Study

See agnostic.

Example Sentences

An atheist counsels his fellow non-believers on how not to talk to people of faith.

From The Daily Beast

From here I have the chance to blog in Arabic and in English as “Proud Atheist,” but I am now effectively in exile.

From The Daily Beast

Waleed Al Husseini spent 10 months in Palestinian prison for being an atheist blogger.

From The Daily Beast

All religions condemn lying, but Alicia Florrick likely will not be elected if she runs as an atheist.

From The Daily Beast

Alicia is a devout atheist, if devout can be used to describe someone who does not believe in a God.

From The Daily Beast

But the eternal existence of these stars is the very thing which the atheist is concerned to prove.

From Project Gutenberg

The speculating atheist, the theist will tell us, may be an honest man, but his writings will cause atheism in politics.

From Project Gutenberg

First, there is the "atheist formula" of 'art for the sake of art';—a heresy he scourged with pontifical anathemas.

From Project Gutenberg

It is then equally false to represent him as an atheist or as an orthodox Christian.

From Project Gutenberg

It is only what the Atheist has said, minus the capital letters.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• agnostic
• doubting Thomas
• skeptic
• unbeliever