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heresy
[ her-uh-see ]
/ ˈhɛr ə si /
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noun, plural her·e·sies.
opinion or doctrine at variance with the orthodox or accepted doctrine, especially of a church or religious system.
the maintaining of such an opinion or doctrine.
Roman Catholic Church. the willful and persistent rejection of any article of faith by a baptized member of the church.
any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs, customs, etc.
QUIZ
SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?
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Question 1 of 6
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Origin of heresy
1175–1225; Middle English heresie<Old French eresie<Latin haeresis school of thought, sect <Greek haíresis, literally, act of choosing, derivative of haireîn to choose
OTHER WORDS FROM heresy
su·per·her·e·sy, noun, plural su·per·her·e·sies.Words nearby heresy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
How to use heresy in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for heresy
heresy
/ (ˈhɛrəsɪ) /
noun plural -sies
- an opinion or doctrine contrary to the orthodox tenets of a religious body or church
- the act of maintaining such an opinion or doctrine
any opinion or belief that is or is thought to be contrary to official or established theory
belief in or adherence to unorthodox opinion
Word Origin for heresy
C13: from Old French eresie, from Late Latin haeresis, from Latin: sect, from Greek hairesis a choosing, from hairein to choose
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for heresy
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.