First Known Use: 13th century
Dictionary
heresy
noun her·e·sy \ˈher-ə-sē, ˈhe-rə-\
: a belief or opinion that does not agree with the official belief or opinion of a particular religion
plural her·e·sies
Full Definition of HERESY
1
a : adherence to a religious opinion contrary to church dogma b : denial of a revealed truth by a baptized member of the Roman Catholic Church c : an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma
2
a : dissent or deviation from a dominant theory, opinion, or practice b : an opinion, doctrine, or practice contrary to the truth or to generally accepted beliefs or standards
See heresy defined for English-language learners
See heresy defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of HERESY
Middle English heresie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin haeresis, from Late Greek hairesis, from Greek, action of taking, choice, sect, from hairein to take
Related to HERESY
- Synonyms
- dissent, dissidence, heterodoxy, nonconformity
- Antonyms
- conformity, orthodoxy
Other Christian Religious Terms
Rhymes with HERESY
HERESY Defined for Kids
heresy
noun her·e·sy \ˈher-ə-sē\
plural her·e·sies
Definition of HERESY for Kids
1
: the holding of religious beliefs opposed to church doctrine : such a belief
2
: belief or opinion opposed to a generally accepted view <It's heresy in my family to not love baseball.>
Learn More About HERESY
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: hereticPrevious Word in the Dictionary: heres necessariusAll Words Near: heresy
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up heresy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).