apostatism
|a-pos-ta-tism|
🇺🇸
/əˈpɑːstətɪzəm/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɒstətɪzəm/
turning away
Etymology
'apostatism' originates from Late Latin, specifically the word 'apostasia', where the Greek prefix 'apo-' meant 'away from' and the root related to 'stasis'/'histanai' meant 'a standing' or 'to stand'.
'apostatism' changed from the Greek word 'apostasia' (meaning 'defection') into Late Latin 'apostasia', and through Medieval/early Modern usage the related English noun 'apostasy' and the rarer form 'apostatism' developed.
Initially, it meant 'a standing away' or 'defection,' and over time it evolved into the current specific sense of 'renunciation or abandonment of religious or political belief.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the act or state of abandoning or renouncing a religious belief, political allegiance, or a previously held principle; apostasy.
The bishop denounced his public apostatism and urged him to repent.
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Noun 2
(formal, broader) Any desertion or abandonment of a cause, belief, or principle formerly adhered to.
Historians discussed the apostatism of intellectuals who turned away from the movement.
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Last updated: 2025/09/22 01:54