infidel

[ in-fi-dl, -del ]

See synonyms for infidel on Thesaurus.com

noun

Religion.Often Disparaging and Offensive. a person who does not accept a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.
a person who has no religious faith; unbeliever.

(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

Often Disparaging and Offensive. not accepting a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.
without religious faith.

Also in·fi·del·ic [in-fi-del-ik]. /ˌɪn fɪˈdɛl ɪk/. of, relating to, or characteristic of unbelievers.
relating to or showing unbelief: Our infidel ideas about artificial intelligence make us pariahs in the academic community.

Origin of infidel

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

synonym study For infidel

1-3. See agnostic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use infidel in a sentence

They also frequented online chat rooms where fellow Islamic zealots teed off with venomous rants about their hate for infidels.
Post Office Robbers More Wanted Than ISIS | M.L. Nestel | December 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Their sentence is one; they are both infidels, both enemies.
The CIA’s Wrong: Arming Rebels Works | Christopher Dickey | October 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Father, I am going to Paradise by slaughtering infidels with a suicide bomb on my body.
Up to a Point: Shrugging Our Way Back to War in Iraq | P. J. O’Rourke | August 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Democrats and independents who oppose their dogma are infidels.
The Tea Party Isn’t a Political Movement, It’s a Religious One | Jack Schwartz | July 13, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
I detected some mockery, the mockery of infidels, but I did not care.
Why Americans Should Love the World Cup | Sean Wilsey | June 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Of course, high-toned infidels do not consider themselves as debased as the natives of India.
Gospel Philosophy | J. H. Ward
Another favorite theory among infidels, is that of Buffon, the vain-glorious French philosopher.
Gospel Philosophy | J. H. Ward
In other words, the fire-mist made itself, then the paving stones and the infidels afterwards.
Gospel Philosophy | J. H. Ward
The religion they preached was not adapted to please sensual men; even infidels admit that they preached a pure morality.
Gospel Philosophy | J. H. Ward
Were they come to that part of the service where heretics and infidels ought to quit the church?
Little Travels and Roadside Sketches | William Makepeace Thackeray

British Dictionary definitions for infidel

infidel

/ (ˈɪnfɪdəl) /

noun

a person who has no religious belief; unbeliever

adjective

rejecting a specific religion, esp Christianity or Islam
of, characteristic of, or relating to unbelievers or unbelief

Origin of infidel

C15: from Medieval Latin infidēlis, from Latin (adj): unfaithful, from in- 1 + fidēlis faithful; see feal

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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