heretic

[ noun her-i-tik; adjective her-i-tik, huh-ret-ik ]
/ noun ˈhɛr ɪ tɪk; adjective ˈhɛr ɪ tɪk, həˈrɛt ɪk /

noun

a professed believer who maintains religious opinions contrary to those accepted by his or her church or rejects doctrines prescribed by that church.
Roman Catholic Church. a baptized Roman Catholic who willfully and persistently rejects any article of faith.
anyone who does not conform to an established attitude, doctrine, or principle.

adjective

Origin of heretic

1300–50; Middle English heretik < Middle French heretique < Late Latin haereticus < Greek hairetikós able to choose (Late Greek: heretical), equivalent to hairet(ós) that may be taken (verbal adjective of haireîn to choose) + -ikos -ic

OTHER WORDS FROM heretic

sem·i·her·e·tic, adjective, noun

Example sentences from the Web for heretic

British Dictionary definitions for heretic

heretic
/ (ˈhɛrətɪk) /

noun

mainly RC Church a person who maintains beliefs contrary to the established teachings of the Church
a person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field

Derived forms of heretic

heretical (hɪˈrɛtɪkəl), adjective heretically, adverb

Cultural definitions for heretic

heretic

One who challenges the doctrines of an established church (see also established church). Martin Luther was proclaimed a heretic for rejecting many of the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church.