Manichean

Or Man·i·chae·an

[man-i-kee-uhn]

noun

1. Also Manichee an adherent of the dualistic religious system of Manes, a combination of Gnostic Christianity, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, and various other elements, with a basic doctrine of a conflict between light and dark, matter being regarded as dark and evil.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Manicheans or their doctrines.

Other Word Forms

• Manicheanism noun
• Manicheism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Manichean¹

1300–50; Middle English Maniche (< Late Latin Manichaeus < Late Greek Manichaîos of Manes) + -an

Example Sentences

And that escalation comes amid growing global instability contributing to a Manichean world of antagonistic armed blocs, reminiscent of the Cold War at its worst.

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What remains is the standard Manichean autopilot of American thought, operating in sync with the structural affinity for war that's built into the military-industrial complex.

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They say inflation is driven by a Manichean struggle between big corporations and their innocent victims, the customers.

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Even his defiant stance towards China has a Manichean frame: a good versus evil struggle between freedom and authoritarianism - the "great polarisation", he calls it.

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At root, the "thin blue line" narrative is a Manichean worldview that divides the world up into the good people and bad people and imagines that police are the force that separates those two.

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