agnostic

[ ag-nos-tik ]

noun

1. a person who holds that the answers to the basic questions of existence, such as the nature of the ultimate cause and whether or not there is a supreme being, are unknown or unknowable.

   Synonyms: doubter, disbeliever, infidel, heretic, heathen, empiricism, secularism, skeptic, unbeliever, nonbeliever, pagan

2. a person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.
3. a person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic:

   Socrates was an agnostic on the subject of immortality.

adjective

1. of or relating to agnostics or their doctrines, attitudes, or beliefs.
2. asserting the uncertainty of all claims to knowledge.
3. not taking a stand on something, especially not holding either of two usually strongly opposed positions (often used in combination):

   He's known to take an agnostic view of technological progress.

   The governor's fuel-agnostic energy policies were highly controversial.

4. (especially of digital technology) not limited or dedicated to a particular device, system, etc. (often used in combination):

   platform agnostic software.

agnostic

/ æɡˈnɒstɪk /

noun

1. See theist, atheist
   a person who holds that knowledge of a Supreme Being, ultimate cause, etc, is impossible Compare atheist theist
2. a person who claims, with respect to any particular question, that the answer cannot be known with certainty

adjective

1. of or relating to agnostics

Derived Forms

• agˈnosticism, noun

Other Words From

• ag·nos·ti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of agnostic¹

Coined in 1869 by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95); from Greek ágnōst(os), variant of ágnōtos “not known, incapable of being known” ( a- “not, without” + gnōtós “known,” adjective derivative of gignṓskein “to know”) + -ic none, after gnostic none; a- ⁶none

Word History and Origins

Origin of agnostic¹

C19: coined 1869 by T. H. Huxley from a- ¹+ gnostic

Synonym Study

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, or who refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine because of a lack of knowledge about God or the creation of the universe. An atheist is one who does not believe in or denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. Infidel means an unbeliever, especially a nonbeliever in Islam or Christianity, and is often disparaging and offensive, in contrast to atheist and agnostic, which are often used in self-identification. A skeptic doubts and is critical of all accepted doctrines and creeds; while a person may self-identify in this way, the term can also be applied by others.

Example Sentences

Early on, the company was “fairly agnostic,” Jain says, waiting to see whether machines or people could better fact-check the world.

From Ozy

Consumers are increasingly agnostic about whether they buy online or locally.

From Search Engine Land

Met’s general manager, Jeffrey Kightlinger, said the agency is “agnostic” about the project.

From Voice of San Diego

The sequence is device agnostic when a user is logged in through their account, which means that shifting between devices doesn’t affect that strategy, it even enhances the experience.

From Search Engine Watch

We take an agnostic approach to ad tech and wherever there’s commercial growth — then that’s when we’ll look to expand.

From Digiday

She is agnostic and a firm supporter for gay rights and birth control.

From The Daily Beast

In general, MBAs are agnostic about how cost cutting can be achieved.

From The Daily Beast

According to Pew, close to two-thirds of those who identify as atheist or agnostic are men.

From The Daily Beast

For the record, I believe in God but am an agnostic about therapy.

From The Daily Beast

Street savvy but compassionate, mystical but agnostic and above all, brilliantly idiosyncratic, Fly is a rambling poet of sorts.

From The Daily Beast

He had by this time become what would now be called an agnostic.

From Project Gutenberg

For the Agnostic, no more than the Atheist, can attach no intelligible meaning to "God."

From Project Gutenberg

True, she said, checked for a moment, but one is not truly agnostic when ones mother has had faith.

From Project Gutenberg

This statement, coming from a leading agnostic, was welcome to the theologians.

From Project Gutenberg

A story of modern life and thought, being a study of two opposite types—the Christian and the Agnostic.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• skeptic