heterodoxy
Americannoun
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heterodoxies
plural
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heterodox state or quality.
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a heterodox opinion, view, etc.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of heterodoxy
From the Greek word heterodoxía, dating back to 1645–55. See heterodox, -y 3
Explanation
If your civics teacher were to teach that it's best if only the people with luxury cars vote in an election, that teacher would quickly be accused of heterodoxy for teaching something quite different from the accepted or correct view. People are usually only accused of heterodoxy if they have influence or declare their views in an official capacity. But sometimes, if you have to subscribe to certain views in order to belong to an organization, your heterodoxy on any of those topics will be enough to keep you out whether you have any influence or not. Heterodoxy comes from the Greek word heterodoxia, from hetero-, meaning "different" or "other," and doxa, meaning "opinion."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
At 24 Debs was elected Terre Haute city clerk, where the extent of his heterodoxy was waiving criminal fines against prostitutes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Seehorn’s Kim is a Type A striver with a rebellious streak; she wants to do work more meaningful than representing a regional bank and finds something alluring in Jimmy’s reckless heterodoxy.
From New York Times ● Feb. 9, 2022
“What I’m saying is really heterodoxy in San Francisco,” says Gandhi, who has authored multiple papers on just how important masks are.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2021
“This is a worldwide, but certainly American, trend toward heterodoxy — toward individuals cooking up their own spiritual or religious stew and cooking it up their way,” Burklo said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2019
In the minds of the River Gods heterodoxy was his crime.
From Ocean to Ocean on Horseback Being the Story of a Tour in the Saddle from the Atlantic to the Pacific; with Especial Reference to the Early History and Devel by Willard W. Glazier
But there are all sorts of complexities and heterodoxies that are suffocated by uncomplicated embrace.
From New York Times ● May 16, 2022
To some degree, “populism” is another word for heterodoxies that seem doomed to fail.
From Economist ● Jul. 20, 2017
I stayed because I was incredibly curious and thought at least I could work on my novel, a Western set in “the American subconscious,” a Jungian wonderland of heterodoxies.
From Salon ● May 31, 2015
Who will be courageous enough to confront the public with such brave heterodoxies as “Not all cultures are equally conducive to human flourishing”? The Intellectual Dark Web, that’s who.
From Slate
His aspect showed no lack of zeal to maintain his heterodoxies even at the stake.
From Twice Told Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
