infidel

[in-fi-dl, -del]

noun

1. Religion.,  a person who does not accept a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.

2. a person who has no religious faith; unbeliever.

3. (loosely) a person who disbelieves or doubts a particular theory, belief, creed, etc.; skeptic.

   When it came to ghosts, he was a self-confessed infidel.

adjective

1. Often Disparaging and Offensive.,  not accepting a particular faith, especially Christianity or Islam.

2. without religious faith.

3. Also infidelic of, relating to, or characteristic of unbelievers.

4. relating to or showing unbelief.

   Our infidel ideas about artificial intelligence make us pariahs in the academic community.

infidel

/ ˈɪnfɪdəl /

noun

1. a person who has no religious belief; unbeliever

adjective

1. rejecting a specific religion, esp Christianity or Islam

2. of, characteristic of, or relating to unbelievers or unbelief

Word History and Origins

Origin of infidel¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin infidēlis “unbelieving,” Latin: “unfaithful, treacherous”; in- ³, feal ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of infidel¹

C15: from Medieval Latin infidēlis, from Latin (adj): unfaithful, from _in- ¹ + fidēlis faithful; see _feal

Synonym Study

See agnostic.

Example Sentences

During the civil war, the Druze were largely unwilling to ally with Assad but were wary of the opposition, which was dominated by hard-line Sunni Islamist groups, some of whom viewed Druze as infidels.

From Los Angeles Times

In his statement read out by his lawyers, Issa al H said: "I killed innocents, not infidels."

From BBC

Plagued with leaks and buffeted by scandals, this "infidel" Ahab has become anxious, ornery and isolated as President Donald Trump's second term enters its third month.

From Salon

Many hard-line Sunni Islamists count members of the Alawite sect as infidels.

From Los Angeles Times

IS, which remains active in Syria through both operatives and sleeper cells, has declared its ongoing jihad in the country and denounced the HTS-led rebel authority as "apostates" allegedly brought to power by "infidel" forces.

From BBC

Related Words

• agnostic