infidel

American  

[in-fi-dl, -del] / ˈɪn fɪ dl, -ˌdɛl /

noun

1. Religion. a person who does not accept a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.

2. a person who has no religious faith; unbeliever.

3. (loosely) a person who disbelieves or doubts a particular theory, belief, creed, etc.; skeptic.

   When it came to ghosts, he was a self-confessed infidel.

---

adjective

1. Often Disparaging and Offensive. not accepting a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.

2. without religious faith.

3. Also infidelic of, relating to, or characteristic of unbelievers.

4. relating to or showing unbelief.

   Our infidel ideas about artificial intelligence make us pariahs in the academic community.

infidel British  

/ ˈɪnfɪdəl /

noun

1. a person who has no religious belief; unbeliever

---

adjective

1. rejecting a specific religion, esp Christianity or Islam

2. of, characteristic of, or relating to unbelievers or unbelief

Related Words

See agnostic.

Etymology

Origin of infidel

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin infidēlis “unbelieving,” Latin: “unfaithful, treacherous”; in- ³, feal ( def. )

Example Sentences

During the civil war, the Druze were largely unwilling to ally with Assad but were wary of the opposition, which was dominated by hard-line Sunni Islamist groups, some of whom viewed Druze as infidels.

From Los Angeles Times

Islamic State considered them to be infidels and carried out a genocidal assault.

From BBC

It alleged that they were "takfiris" - a term used to describe jihadists who see other Muslims as infidels.

From BBC

This wasn't only because the Western rulers were infidels.

From Salon

“Taliban fighters are the same as they have been trained. And for them, Hazaras are infidels.”

From Washington Post

Related Words

• agnostic