theology
Americannoun
-
the field of study and analysis that treats of God and of God's attributes and relations to the universe; study of divine things or religious truth; divinity.
-
a particular form, system, branch, or course of this study.
noun
-
the systematic study of the existence and nature of the divine and its relationship to and influence upon other beings
-
a specific branch of this study, undertaken from the perspective of a particular group
feminist theology
-
the systematic study of Christian revelation concerning God's nature and purpose, esp through the teaching of the Church
-
a specific system, form, or branch of this study, esp for those preparing for the ministry or priesthood
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of theology
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English theologie, from Old French, from Late Latin theologia, from Greek theología; equivalent to theo- + -logy
Explanation
Theology is the study of religion, plain and simple. Of course, religion isn’t simple, so theology covers a lot of subjects, like rituals, divine beings, the history of religions, and the concept of religious truth. Theology is taught to priests and ministers so they can better understand their religion, and it’s also taught in non-religious colleges to anyone who is curious about the ideas and effects of religion. The first half of theology is theo-, which means god in Greek. The suffix -logy means “the study of,” so theology literally means “the study of god," but we usually expand it to mean the study of religion more broadly.
Vocabulary lists containing theology
Power Suffix: -ology
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
World Religions
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "T"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The biblical passage recounts how the serpent, typically interpreted as the devil in Christian theology, tempted Eve to sin by eating the forbidden fruit.
From Salon • May 17, 2026
His subjects, he tells us, have dispensed with outmoded theology and instead put ritual to its proper use as a useful technological aid to social connection and cohesion.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
For instance, when asked, “Why does God allow suffering?” a leading AI model failed to provide a response that was grounded in theology, according to a December 2025 company report.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
For centuries, humans have tried to understand the nature of the mind using what tools were available—from philosophy and theology to neuroscience and computer science.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
He and Emma read and discussed books about theology.
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
