Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

traducianism

American  
[truh-doo-shuh-niz-uhm, -dyoo-] / trəˈdu ʃəˌnɪz əm, -ˈdyu- /

noun

Theology.
  1. the doctrine that the human soul is propagated along with the body.


traducianism British  
/ trəˈdjuːʃəˌnɪzəm /

noun

  1. the theory that the soul is transmitted to a child in the act of generation or concomitantly with its body Compare creationism

"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

  • traducian noun
  • traducianist noun
  • traducianistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of traducianism

1840–50; < Late Latin trādūciānus transmitter ( trāduci-, stem of trādux lineage ( Latin: vine led across for propagation, derivative of trādūcere to lead across; traduce ) + -ānus -an ) + -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.

Tradū′cian, one who believes in traducianism; Tradū′cianism, the belief, long prevalent in the Western Church, that children receive soul as well as body from their parents through natural generation—every soul being a fresh creation—also Generationism.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

Creā′tionism, the theory of special creation, opp. to Evolutionism: the theory that God immediately creates a soul for every human being born—opp. to Traducianism; Creā′tionist.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

The former in reference to the origin of the human soul held by the theory of traducianism; the latter to that of pre-existence in connection with a doctrine of re-incarnation of spirits by reason of growing purity and perfection.

From Project Gutenberg

We need not maintain it as an external fact in the history of the soul, according to the old doctrine, resuscitated in our own times, of Traducianism.

From Project Gutenberg

Traducianism is the doctrine about the origin of the soul which was taught by Tertullian in his De anima—that souls are generated from souls in the same way and at the same time as bodies from bodies: creatianism is the doctrine that God creates a soul for each body that is generated.

From Project Gutenberg