Advertisement
Advertisement
atheist
[ ey-thee-ist ]
noun
- a person who does not believe in the existence of a supreme being or beings.
- a person who believes that there is no supreme being or beings.
atheist
/ ˈeɪθɪˌɪst /
noun
- a person who does not believe in God or gods
adjective
- of or relating to atheists or atheism
Derived Forms
- ˌatheˈistic, adjective
- ˌatheˈistically, adverb
Other Words From
- an·ti·a·the·ist noun adjective
- pro·a·the·ist noun adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of atheist1
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
While the number who define themselves as “atheist” remains lower in the US than in most Western countries, those who say they are “religiously unaffiliated” is growing.
It's important for atheists and non-Christians to speak up, because their rights are going to be more infringed upon by Christian supremacists.
She is a Hindu while he is a former Baptist and atheist who converted to Catholicism.
He was sentenced to five years in prison in 2015 in connection with the murder of an atheist blogger.
Vance grew up exposed to Christianity, but when he was at Yale Law School, he described himself as an atheist.
Advertisement
Related Words
About This Word
What does atheist mean?
An atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of a supreme being or deity. In other words, an atheist is a person who does not believe in the existence of God or of any gods.
The belief or doctrine that denies the existence of gods or supreme beings is atheism. Atheist can also be used as an adjective to describe such beliefs or things involving such beliefs. The adjective atheistic can be used in the same way.
The word atheist means something different from the word agnostic, which refers to a person who believes it is impossible to know whether or not a supreme being exists. When asked if God or gods exist, an atheist would answer “No,” while an agnostic would answer “It is impossible to know.”
Example: Being an atheist doesn’t mean I think God is bad—it means that I think God doesn’t exist.
Where does atheist come from?
The first records of the word atheist come from around 1570. It comes from the Greek áthe(os), meaning “godless.” In atheist, the beginning part a- means “without” and the main root is based on a word meaning “god” (the words theology and theist are based on the same root). The noun suffix -ist indicates a person who holds certain beliefs.
Historically, being known as an atheist has been dangerous—many atheists have even been tortured or killed, such as in societies that require adherence to a specific religion. Even today, many atheists face discrimination. Many support policies that ensure that religious freedom applies even to those who do not follow any faith.
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to atheist?
What are some words that share a root or word element with atheist?
What are some words that often get used in discussing atheist?
What are some words atheist may be commonly confused with?
How is atheist used in real life?
The word atheist is the most common way of referring to a person who doesn’t believe in the existence of a god or gods. Many people use the word to identify themselves in this way.
Whether you're an atheist, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or Buddhist, you have the same civil rights. That’s what the Constitution says. #ReligiousEqualityDay pic.twitter.com/j3uNgiKWea
— American Atheists (@AmericanAtheist) December 15, 2020
As an atheist Unitarian-Universalist, I get the best of both ends of the curve https://t.co/FT2QTPNupM
— Jonathan Tweet (@JonathanMTweet) December 13, 2020
Mutual respect between theists & atheists will greatly improve when we wholeheartedly embrace freedom of & freedom from religion. This means schools may teach children about all religions & atheism, but may not impose/indoctrinate any one in particular.
— Impiety (@NoHolyScripture) October 27, 2019
Try using atheist!
True or False?
The word atheist refers to a person who has a fear or distrust of religious people.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse