Dictionary

apostatize en · VERB

Etymology

Etymology tree English apostate Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English apostatize From apostate + -ize.

Meanings

1. To give up or renounce one's position or belief.
   • Q. 15. May not a church so far apostatize by the neglect of discipline, as to cease to be a church of Christ, and become a synagogue of Satan? A. Yes. This has sometimes happened. 1849, “Discipline of the Church.”, in A Catechism on the Government and Discipline of the Presbyterian Church (Theology), Presbyterian Board of Publication, →OCLC, page 31:
   • Soft enticements of domestic life too often draw him from the ascetic trail; a monk who apostatizes to the world at times. 1857, Herman Melville, chapter XXVI, in The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade:

Forms

Deriveds

unapostatized

Relateds

apostasy · apostatic · apostate · apostatically

Synonyms

commit apostasy · apostasize

Translations (12)

de vom Glauben abfallen (give up one's position or belief) · pl odstępować (give up one's position or belief) · fr apostasier (give up one's position or belief) · ar اِرْتَدَّ (give up one's position or belief) · pt apostatar (give up one's position or belief) · es apostatar (give up one's position or belief) · de abtrünnig sein (give up one's position or belief) · cs odpadnout od víry (give up one's position or belief) · ca apostatar (give up one's position or belief) · la apostatō (give up one's position or belief) · fi luopua uskosta (give up one's position or belief) · pl odstąpić (give up one's position or belief)