theosophy

American  

[thee-os-uh-fee] / θiˈɒs ə fi /

noun

1. any of various forms of philosophical or religious thought based on a mystical insight into the divine nature.

2. (often initial capital letters) the system of belief and practice of the Theosophical Society.

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theosophy British  

/ ˌθɪəˈsɒfɪkəl, θɪˈɒsəfɪ /

noun

1. any of various religious or philosophical systems claiming to be based on or to express an intuitive insight into the divine nature

2. the system of beliefs of the Theosophical Society founded in 1875, claiming to be derived from the sacred writings of Brahmanism and Buddhism, but denying the existence of any personal God

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Other Word Forms

• nontheosophic adjective
• nontheosophical adjective
• nontheosophically adverb
• theosophic adjective
• theosophical adjective
• theosophically adverb
• theosophism noun
• theosophist noun

Etymology

Origin of theosophy

1640–50; < Medieval Latin theosophia < Late Greek theosophía. See theo-, -sophy

Example Sentences

But, she adds, Kandinsky, Mondrian and Malevich were all influenced by contemporary spiritual movements such as theosophy and anthroposophy too, as they sought to transcend the physical world and the constraints of representational art.

From The Guardian • Oct. 6, 2020

Kandinsky, Mondrian, Kupka and Malevich were all influenced to some degree by an interest in the occult, and by theosophy in particular.

From Washington Post • Oct. 31, 2018

Eventually he moved to Munich with Marianne von Werefkin, another artistic expat from the nobility, vacationed with Kandinsky, bought a van Gogh and studied Buddhism, yoga and theosophy.

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2017

Harris embraced theosophy, the esoteric system of comprehending divinity.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 23, 2015

Adam’s mother ran the farm, bore Adam, and still had time to embrace a primitive theosophy.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck