belief

[ bih-leef ]

noun

1. something believed; an opinion or conviction:

   a belief that the earth is flat.

   Synonyms: persuasion, conclusion, tenet, view

2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof:

   a statement unworthy of belief.

   Synonyms: assurance

3. confidence; faith; trust:

   a child's belief in his parents.

4. a religious tenet or tenets; religious creed or faith:

   the Christian belief.

   Synonyms: dogma, doctrine

belief

/ bɪˈliːf /

noun

1. a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true
2. opinion; conviction
3. religious faith
4. trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc

Other Words From

• prebe·lief noun
• super·be·lief noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of belief¹

First recorded in 1125–75; earlier bile(e)ve (noun use of verb); replacing Middle English bileave, equivalent to bi- be- + leave (probably from Old English -lēafa “belief”); cognate with Dutch geloof, German Glaube; akin to Gothic galaubeins

Synonym Study

Belief, certainty, conviction refer to acceptance of, or confidence in, an alleged fact or body of facts as true or right without positive knowledge or proof. Belief is such acceptance in general: belief in astrology. Certainty indicates unquestioning belief and positiveness in one's own mind that something is true: I know this for a certainty. Conviction is settled, profound, or earnest belief that something is right: a conviction that a decision is just.

Example Sentences

Seeing Boq wrestle with his feelings for Nessa, and the belief that she could have that love reciprocated, again is unique considering how that is usually always prioritized for white women in disabled narratives.

From Salon

The couple lived off grid and created their own bespoke belief system based on a mixture of elements that drew from New Age mysticism and West African religion.

From BBC

Millar said then he does not endorse the pastor's views and "no one should be discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or religious beliefs".

From BBC

And the love and the care that she poured into him and the belief that he could do anything, he wound up kind of bringing that all the way back to her.

From Los Angeles Times

"It's belief in himself, belief from myself and Brendon McCullum that he's not just someone who is going to be playing in England."

From BBC

Related Words

• acceptance
• assumption
• conclusion
• confidence
• conviction
• expectation
• faith
• feeling
• hope
• idea
• judgment
• knowledge
• notion
• opinion
• position
• suspicion
• theory
• thinking
• trust
• understanding