"of or pertaining to the Pharisees," hence "of or pertaining to observance of the external forms and ceremonies of religion without regard to its spirit or essence," 1610s, from Church Latin pharisaicus, from Greek pharisaikos, from pharisaios (see Pharisee). Related: Pharisaical (1530s).

1540s, "one who has faith in religion," agent noun from believe. From c. 1600 as "one who gives credence (to anything) without personal knowledge, one firmly persuaded of the truth of something."

"not religious, without religious principles; condemning religion, impious, ungodly," c. 1400, from Late Latin irreligiosus "irreligious, impious," from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + religiosus (see religious). Related: Irreligiously.

in Roman religion, one of the greater gods, daughter of Ceres and wife of Pluto; a  Latin (or Etruscan) corruption or modification of Greek Persephonē (see Persephone), perhaps influenced by Latin proserpere "to creep forth" on the notion of the germination of plants.

c. 1300, secher (late 13c. as a surname), "one who searches, investigator," agent noun from seek. The religious sect of the Seekers is attested from 1645; they professed no set religion but said they went in search of a true ministry.

c. 1200, ministerie, "the office or function of a priest, a position in a church or monastery; service in matters of religion," from Old French menistere "service, ministry; position, post, employment" and directly from Latin ministerium "office, service, attendance, ministry," from minister "inferior, servant, priest's assistant" (see minister (n.)).

From late 14c. as "personal service or aid." From 1560s as "the body of ministers of religion, the clerical class." From 1710 as "the body of ministers of state in a country." It began to be used 1916 in the names of certain departments in the British government.

"a form of polytheism characteristic of the Vedic religion, in which one god at a time is considered supreme," 1865, coined in German by Max Müller from Greek kath' hena "one by one" (from kata- "according to" + en- "one") + -theism. Müller also coined the nearly synonymous henotheism (1860, from Greek henos "one") for "faith in a single god" as distinguished from exclusive belief in only one god, in writings on early Hebrew religion. He also has adevism (from Sanskrit deva "god") for "disbelief in the old gods and legends").

mid-14c., female deity in a polytheistic religion, from god + fem. suffix -esse (see -ess). The Old English word was gyden, corresponding to Dutch godin, German Göttin, Danish gudine, Swedish gudinna. Of mortal women by 1570s. Related: Goddesshood.

"assimilated Christian in Moorish Spain," one who was allowed to continue practicing his religion in exchange for political allegiance, from Spanish Mozarabe "would-be Arab," from Arabic mostarib, from a desiderative verbal form of Arab. Related: Mozarabian (1706); Mozarabic.

in Norse religion, the home of the gods and goddesses and of heroes slain in battle, from Old Norse, from āss "god," which is related to Old English os, Gothic ans "god" (see Aesir) + garðr "enclosure, yard, garden" (from PIE root *gher- (1) "to grasp, enclose").