- heresy
- "an opinion of private men different from that of the catholick and orthodox church" [Johnson], early 13c., from O.Fr. heresie, from L. hæresis, "school of thought, philosophical sect," used by Christian writers for "unorthodox sect or doctrine," from Gk. hairesis "a taking or choosing," from haireisthai "take, seize," middle voice of hairein "to choose," of unknown origin. The Greek word was used in N.T. in ref. to the Sadducees, Pharisees, and even the Christians, as sects of Judaism, but in English bibles it is usually translated sect. Meaning "religious belief opposed to the orthodox doctrines of the Church" evolved in L.L. in the Dark Ages.
- buggery
- mid-14c., "heresy," later "unnatural intercourse" with man or beast, "carnalis copula contra Naturam, & hoc vel per confusionem Specierum". See bugger.
- Montanist
- 1449, millenarian and severely ascetic sect that believed in continual direct inspiration of the spirit and offered prominent church roles to women, from Montanus, Christian-inspired prophet in the wilds of Phrygia c.160 C.E. The heresy persisted into the 6c. and helped bring prophecy into disrepute in the established Church.
- Docetism
- 1846, heresy holding that the body of Jesus was a phantom, from Gk. Doketai, name of the sect, lit. "believers," from dokein "to seem, have the appearance of, think," related to doxa (see decent).
- Baha'i
- 1889, mystical, tolerant Iranian religion founded by a Mirza Ali Mohammed ibn Radhik, Shiraz merchant executed for heresy in 1850, and named for his leading disciple, Baha Allah (Pers. "splendor of God;" ultimately from Arabic). It also is sometimes called Babism, after the name taken by the founder, Bab-ed-Din, "gate of the faith."
- Nestor
- name for "old king renowned for wise counsel," 1588, from Gk., name of the aged and wise hero in the "Iliad." In Church history, a Nestorian (1449) is a follower of Nestorius, 5c. patriarch of Constantinople, whose doctrine attributed distinct divine and human persons to Christ and was condemned as heresy.
- heretic
- early 14c., from Fr. hérétique (14c.), from Church L. hereticus, from Gk. hairetikos "able to choose," the verbal adj. of hairein (see heresy).
- Lollard
- late 14c. (in Chaucer, Loller, c.1386), from M.Du. lollaerd, applied pejoratively to members of reforming sects c.1300 who devoted themselves to the care of the sick and poor, lit. "mumbler, mutterer," so called by critics who regarded them as heretics pretending to humble piety, from lollen "to mumble or doze." Generic late M.E. term for groups suspected of heresy, esp. followers of John Wycliffe.
- inquisition
- late 14c., "act or process of inquiring," from O.Fr. inquisition, from L. inquisitionem (nom. inquisitio) "a searching into, legal examination," from inquisitus, pp. of inquirere (see inquire). In Church history, inquisitors were appointed from 382 C.E. to root out heretics, and the Inquisition refers to the ecclesiastical court (Congregation of the Holy Office) appointed 13c. by Innocent III to suppress heresy. It never operated in Britain. The capital letter form appeared in English only after c.1500, and usually refers to the office's reorganization 1478-1483 in Spain as what is commonly called the Spanish Inquisition.
- dwell
- O.E. dwellan "to mislead, deceive," originally "to make a fool of, lead astray," from P.Gmc. *dwaljanan (cf. O.N. dvöl "delay," dvali "sleep;" M.Du. dwellen "to stun, make giddy, perplex;" Dan. dvale "trance, stupor," dvaelbær "narcotic berry," source of M.E. dwale "nightshade"), from PIE *dhwel-. Related to O.E. gedweola "error, heresy, madness." Sense shifted in M.E. through "hinder, delay," to "linger" (c.1200, as still in phrase to dwell upon), to "make a home" (mid-13c.). Related: Dwelled; dweller; dwells.