theist en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈθiːɪst/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁s Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁sós Proto-Hellenic *tʰehós Ancient Greek θεός (theós) Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist English theist From Ancient Greek θεός (theós, “god”) + English -ist.
Meanings
-
One who believes in the existence of a god or gods.
The term stands in contradistinction to theism which, in its widest sense, means belief in a personal god, goddess, gods and /or goddesses.
1999, Jeaneane D. Fowler, Humanism: Beliefs & Practices, page 66No one is to be called a Theist, who does not believe in a Personal God, whatever difficulty there may be in defining the word "Personal."
1870, John Henry Newman, An Essay in aid of a Grammar of Assent, page 119:[…] and I call him a theist who believes in any God.
1854, Theodore Parker, “Speculative Atheism”, in W. J. Linton, editors, The English Republic, volume 3, page 205:The theist is a man firmly persuaded of the existence of a Supreme Being as good as He is powerful, who has formed all beings with extension, vegetating, sentient and reflecting; who perpetuates their species, who punishes crimes without cruelty, and rewards virtuous actions with kindness.
1764, Voltaire, Philosophical Dictionary:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| theists | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
heliotheist · tetratheist · multitheist · autotheist · nontheist · dystheist · antitheist · zootheist
Hyponyms
panentheist · pantheist · cosmotheist · ditheist · bitheist · deist · polytheist · omnitheist · tritheist · monotheist · pandeist
Relateds
Translations (16)
de Theistin (believer) · sv teist (believer) · mr आस्तिक (believer) · tr teist (believer) · es teísta (believer) · pl teistka (believer) · tr tanrıcı (believer) · hi आस्तिक (believer) · sh teist (believer) · ru теи́ст (believer) · ca teista (believer) · fi teisti (believer) · pl teista (believer) · te ఆస్తికుడు (believer) · de Theist (believer) · id teis (believer)