subordinationism

American

[suh-bawr-dn-ey-shuh-niz-uhm] / səˌbɔr dnˈeɪ ʃəˌnɪz əm /

noun

Theology.

the doctrine that the first person of the Holy Trinity is superior to the second, and the second superior to the third.

subordinationism British

/ səˌbɔːdɪˈneɪʃəˌnɪzəm /

noun

either of two interpretations of the doctrine of the Trinity, often regarded as heretical, according to which the Son is subordinate to the Father or the Holy Ghost is subordinate to both

"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

Other Word Forms

subordinationist noun

Etymology

Origin of subordinationism

1835–45; subordination ( def. ) + -ism

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.

Meanwhile at the council of Nicaea he seems to have discovered that the Alexandrians were right in claiming that Arius was carrying his subordinationism so far as to deny all real divinity to Christ.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023