dualistic (adj.)

1755 as a term in philosophy, "a way of thinking which explains phenomena by the assumption of two independent and absolute elements," from French dualisme (1754); see dual + -ism. Theological sense of "doctrine of two independent divine beings or eternal principles" is by 1847. General sense of "division into two" is by 1831.

adjectival word-forming element, from French -istique or directly from Latin -isticus, from Greek -istikos, a compound of the adjectival suffix -ikos (see -ic) + the noun suffix -istes (see -ist).