doctrine

American  

[dok-trin] / ˈdɒk trɪn /

noun

doctrines plural

1. a particular principle, position, or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government.

   Catholic doctrines;

   the Monroe Doctrine.

   Synonyms:

   belief, precept, theory, dogma, tenet

2. something that is taught; teachings collectively.

   religious doctrine.

3. a body or system of teachings relating to a particular subject.

   the doctrine of the Catholic Church.

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doctrine British  

/ ˌdɒktrɪˈnælɪtɪ, ˈdɒktrɪn, dɒkˈtraɪnəl /

noun

1. a creed or body of teachings of a religious, political, or philosophical group presented for acceptance or belief; dogma

2. a principle or body of principles that is taught or advocated

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• doctrinality
  noun
• doctrinism
  noun
• doctrinist
  noun
• self-doctrine
  noun
• doctrinal
  adjective
• doctrinally
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• doctrines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of doctrine

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin doctrīna “teaching,” from doct(o)r doctor + -īna -ine ²

Explanation

A doctrine is a set of beliefs. The word comes from the Latin doctor for “teacher,” so think of a doctrine is the teachings of a school, religion, or political group. The Monroe Doctrine is the policy that President Monroe introduced in 1823 to limit European influence in the Americas. It has been a major part of U.S. foreign policy, but was revamped in 2013 by Secretary of State John Kerry in the Kerry Doctrine. Doctrine and doctor derive from the same Latin word, docere, which means "to teach": doctor means "teacher," and doctrina means "teaching, learning."

Example Sentences

Doctrine forbids Jehovah's Witnesses, as Jones was then, from receiving blood transfusions in almost all circumstances.

From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026

Seen through this lens, the Monroe Doctrine was more a defensive crouch than the posture of a global hegemon.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Listener chatter from Mason Cash in Oviedo, Florida: a Major Questions Doctrine song in the style of Gilbert & Sullivan!

From Slate • Mar. 12, 2026

He has since dubbed his version the Donroe Doctrine.

From Salon • Jan. 7, 2026

While that seems like an interesting and innocent endeavor, the land they surveyed belonged to Indigenous peoples, who had not agreed to the Doctrine of Discovery.

From "An Indigenous People’s History of the United States" by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz

Related Words

• attitude
• axiom
• belief
• concept
• creed
• dogma
• precept
• proposition
• regulation
• rule
• statement
• teaching
• tenet
• tradition