nonbelieving
|non/be/liev/ing|
B2
/ˌnɒn.bɪˈliː.vɪŋ/
lacking belief
Etymology
Etymology Information
'nonbelieving' originates from the prefix 'non-' meaning 'not' and the word 'believe' from Old English 'belȳfan', where 'be-' meant 'about' and 'lȳfan' meant 'to allow or permit'.
Historical Evolution
'belȳfan' transformed into the Middle English word 'bileven', and eventually became the modern English word 'believe'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'to allow or permit', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'to accept as true'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not having belief or faith, especially in a religious context.
She was nonbelieving in the existence of any deities.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/18 16:39