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agnostic
[ ag-nos-tik ]
/ ægˈnɒs tɪk /
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noun
a person who holds that the existence of the ultimate cause, as God, and the essential nature of things are unknown and unknowable, or that human knowledge is limited to experience.
a person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.
a person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic: Socrates was an agnostic on the subject of immortality.
adjective
OTHER WORDS FOR agnostic
1 disbeliever, nonbeliever, unbeliever; doubter, skeptic, secularism, empiricism; heathen, heretic, infidel, pagan.
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Is "Agnostic" Only About Religion?
Can the word "agnostic" be used outside of religion? What other things are considered "agnostic"?
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Origin of agnostic
synonym study for agnostic
Agnostic, atheist, infidel, skeptic refer to persons not inclined toward religious belief or a particular form of religious belief. An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe and refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine. An atheist is one who denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. Infidel means an unbeliever, especially a nonbeliever in Islam or Christianity. A skeptic doubts and is critical of all accepted doctrines and creeds.
historical usage of agnostic
The word agnostic was coined by the English biologist T.H. Huxley in 1869 as a member of the now defunct Metaphysical Society, in response to what he perceived as an abundance there of strongly held beliefs. The original usage of the term was confined to philosophy and religion, and referred to Huxley's assertion that anything beyond the material world, including the existence and nature of God, was unknowable. Today the word can be seen applied to questions of politics, culture, and science, as when someone claims to be a “political agnostic.”
In a more recent trend, one can be agnostic simply by not taking a stand on something. In 2010, President Obama called himself “agnostic” on tax cuts until he had seen all available options. At a forum on sustainable energy in 2008, GE CEO Jeff Immelt said he was “fuel agnostic fundamentally.” In technology, software or hardware can be said to be agnostic as well. Computer code that can run on any operating system is called “platform agnostic,” and such services as phone and electric may be considered “agnostic” if not dedicated to a particular carrier, device, or user interface.
In a more recent trend, one can be agnostic simply by not taking a stand on something. In 2010, President Obama called himself “agnostic” on tax cuts until he had seen all available options. At a forum on sustainable energy in 2008, GE CEO Jeff Immelt said he was “fuel agnostic fundamentally.” In technology, software or hardware can be said to be agnostic as well. Computer code that can run on any operating system is called “platform agnostic,” and such services as phone and electric may be considered “agnostic” if not dedicated to a particular carrier, device, or user interface.
popular references for agnostic
—Agnostic Front: A New York punk band, considered at the forefront of the New York hardcore music scene. Founded in 1983, in existence for over 25 years.
OTHER WORDS FROM agnostic
ag·nos·ti·cal·ly, adverbWORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH agnostic
agnostic , atheist (see synonym study at the current entry)Words nearby agnostic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use agnostic in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for agnostic
agnostic
/ (æɡˈnɒstɪk) /
noun
adjective
of or relating to agnostics
Derived forms of agnostic
agnosticism, nounWord Origin for agnostic
C19: coined 1869 by T. H. Huxley from a- 1 + gnostic
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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