agnostic

[ ag-nos-tik ]

noun

1. a person who holds that the answers to the basic questions of existence, such as the nature of the ultimate cause and whether or not there is a supreme being, are unknown or unknowable.

   Synonyms: doubter, disbeliever, infidel, heretic, heathen, empiricism, secularism, skeptic, unbeliever, nonbeliever, pagan

2. a person who denies or doubts the possibility of ultimate knowledge in some area of study.
3. a person who holds neither of two opposing positions on a topic:

   Socrates was an agnostic on the subject of immortality.

adjective

1. of or relating to agnostics or their doctrines, attitudes, or beliefs.
2. asserting the uncertainty of all claims to knowledge.
3. not taking a stand on something, especially not holding either of two usually strongly opposed positions (often used in combination):

   He's known to take an agnostic view of technological progress.

   The governor's fuel-agnostic energy policies were highly controversial.

4. (especially of digital technology) not limited or dedicated to a particular device, system, etc. (often used in combination):

   platform agnostic software.

agnostic

/ æɡˈnɒstɪk /

noun

1. a person who holds that knowledge of a Supreme Being, ultimate cause, etc, is impossible Compare atheist theist
2. a person who claims, with respect to any particular question, that the answer cannot be known with certainty

adjective

1. of or relating to agnostics

Derived Forms

• agˈnosticism, noun

Other Words From

• ag·nos·ti·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of agnostic¹

Coined in 1869 by English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley (1825–95); from Greek ágnōst(os), variant of ágnōtos “not known, incapable of being known” ( a- “not, without” + gnōtós “known,” adjective derivative of gignṓskein “to know”) + -ic none, after gnostic none; a- ⁶none

Word History and Origins

Origin of agnostic¹

C19: coined 1869 by T. H. Huxley from a- ¹+ gnostic

Synonym Study

Agnostic, atheist, infidel, skeptic refer to persons not inclined toward religious belief or a particular form of religious belief. An agnostic is one who believes it impossible to know anything about God or about the creation of the universe, or who refrains from commitment to any religious doctrine because of a lack of knowledge about God or the creation of the universe. An atheist is one who does not believe in or denies the existence of a deity or of divine beings. Infidel means an unbeliever, especially a nonbeliever in Islam or Christianity, and is often disparaging and offensive, in contrast to atheist and agnostic, which are often used in self-identification. A skeptic doubts and is critical of all accepted doctrines and creeds; while a person may self-identify in this way, the term can also be applied by others.

Example Sentences

At that point, I was still a political agnostic.

From Salon

Steven in Nevada, a middle-aged white man and likely Harris voter, was agnostic on Trump’s decline comment, but not in a good way.

From Salon

It was only through the work of journalism . . . that he began his long transformation into a proud liberal, outspoken feminist and freethinking agnostic.

From Salon

The religiously unaffiliated, including atheists and agnostics, made up 13% of global migrants who have left their country of birth.

From BBC

Two-thirds of those who are atheist, agnostic or nonreligious say they personally approve of same-sex relationships, while just over a quarter of those who are Protestant approve.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• skeptic