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agnostic

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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionaryag·nos·tic I \ag-ˈnäs-tik, əg-\ noun ETYMOLOGY Greek agnōstos unknown, unknowable, from a- + gnōstos known, from gignōskein to know — more at know DATE 18691. a person who holds the view that any ultimate reality (as God) is unknown and probably unknowable; broadly : one who is not committed to believing in either the existence or the nonexistence of God or a god2. a person unwilling to commit to an opinion about something political agnostics• ag·nos·ti·cism \-tə-ˌsi-zəm\ noun II adjective DATE 18731. of, relating to, or being an agnostic or the beliefs of agnostics2. noncommittal, undogmaticEnglish Etymologyagnostic 1870, "one who professes that the existence of a First Cause and the essential nature of things are not and cannot be known." Coined by T.H. Huxley (1825-1895) from Gk. agnostos "unknown, unknowable," from a- "not" + gnostos "(to be) known" (see gnostic). Sometimes said to be a reference to Paul's mention of the altar to "the Unknown God," but according to Huxley it was coined with ref. to the early Church movement known as Gnosticism (see Gnostic)."I ... invented what I conceived to be the appropriate title of 'agnostic,' ... antithetic to the 'Gnostic' of Church history who professed to know so much about the very things of which I was ignorant." [T.H. Huxley, "Science and Christian Tradition," 1889]The adj. is first recorded 1873. Agnosticism also is recorded from 1870.Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7agnosticag·nos·tic / A^5nCstik; NAmE -5nB:s- / noun a person who believes that it is not possible to know whether God exists or not 不可知论者(认为上帝存在与否是不可知的)⇨ compare atheist • ag·nos·tic adj. • ag·nos·ti·cism / A^5nCstisizEm; NAmE -5nB:s- / noun [U] Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridgedag·nos·ticI. \agˈnästik, ə̇g-, aig-, -ēk\ noun(-s)Etymology: modification (influenced by English Gnostic) of Greek agnōstos unknown, unknowable, not knowing, from a- a- (II) + gnōstos known, from gignōskein to know — more at know: one who professes agnosticism; broadly : one who maintains a continuing doubt about the existence or knowability of a god or any ultimates < agnostic … came into my head as suggestively antithetic to the gnostic of church history who professed to know so much — T.H.Huxley >Synonyms: agnostic, freethinker, and atheist can all apply to one who does not take an orthodox religious position. agnostic is the most neutral; it usually implies only an unwillingness on available evidence to affirm or deny the existence of God or subscribe to tenets that presuppose such existence. freethinker is broader; it can apply to one of no determinable religious position or to one who feels truth is made more available by not committing oneself to any orthodoxy, especially a belief in God's existence. Often it can suggest a reprehensible and dangerous license of opinion. atheist can apply strictly and neutrally to one who denies the existence of God or tenets presupposing it. More frequently than freethinker, however, it has carried ideas of reprehensible license of opinion and menacing godlessness.II. \(ˈ)a(i)g|n-, ə̇gˈn-\ adjectivealso ag·nos·ti·cal \-tə̇kəl, -ēk-\1. : relating to or involving agnosticism; especially : professing ignorance or uncertainty about the ultimates usually on the ground of unknowability < so far as faith in God is concerned they are agnostic rather than atheistic — W.L.Sperry >2. : characterized by tolerance : undogmatic• ag·nos·ti·cal·ly \-ə̇k(ə)lē, -ēk-, -li\ adverbIII. \(ˈ)ag|nōstik\ adjectiveEtymology: Greek agnōstos + English -ic: of, relating to, or characterized by agnosia < agnostic symptoms >IV. noun(-s): one who is a subject of agnosiaV. noun: a person unwilling to commit to an opinion about something < most researchers remain agnostics, awaiting some observation or theoretical development — Charles Meegan >VI. adjective: noncommittal 1 < stubbornly agnostic about the free market — Sarah Wright >

Agnostic Noun God From Existence Person One Adjective