heretic

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church
  2. noun a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion)

Etymology

From Middle English heretyk, heretike, from Old French eretique, from Medieval Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin haereticus, from Ancient Greek αἱρετικός (hairetikós, “able to choose, factious”), itself from Ancient Greek αἱρέω (hairéō, “to choose”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

misbeliever, religious outcast

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