antitheist
|an-ti-the-ist|
🇺🇸
/ˈæn.tiˌθiː.ɪst/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tɪˈθiː.ɪst/
against belief in God(s)
Etymology
'antitheist' originates from the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' meaning 'against' and the word 'theist' (from Greek 'theos' meaning 'god'), combined in English to mean 'against theist(s)'.
'theist' derives from Greek 'theos' ('god') and was formed into English as 'theist' (—ist denoting a person holding a belief); 'antitheist' was formed in English by adding the prefix 'anti-' to 'theist' (usage attested from the 19th century onward).
Initially, the formation signified simply 'against theists'; over time it has come to mean both 'opposed to theism in principle' and 'actively opposed to the influence of religion'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who is opposed to theism or to belief in the existence of God or gods; someone who actively opposes religion or theistic belief.
She described herself as an antitheist and argued that organized religion does more harm than good.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a person who opposes the influence or social role of religion for moral, political, or philosophical reasons (distinguished from a mere nonbeliever by active opposition).
Many antitheists campaign for secular policies and publicly criticize religious institutions.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/11 07:08