agnostic

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

US /æɡˈnɑstɪk/ UK /æɡˈnɒstɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
one who holds that the existence of God is unknown or unknowable

Raised devout, he became an agnostic in adulthood.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · one who holds that the... skepticdoubterunbelieverfreethinkersecularist

Opposites

believertheistgnosticdogmatist

Word family

Derived forms agnosticismagnostically

Related forms gnosticgnosticismagnosia

Simplified etymology

Agnostic was coined by Thomas Huxley from Greek a-, ‘not’, and gnostos, ‘known’. He reportedly first used it in 1869 for his view that, although he did not believe in God, he could not say with certainty that God did not exist.

Etymology

Coined in 1869 by T. H. Huxley from Ancient Greek ágnōstos ('unknown, unknowable'), from a- ('not') + gnōstós ('known'), from gignṓskein ('to know').

ágnōstos Ancient Greek gignṓskein Ancient Greek *ǵneh₃- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# agnostic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /æɡˈnɑstɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /æɡˈnɒstɪk/

## Meanings
1. one who holds that the existence of God is unknown or unknowable

## Examples
- Raised devout, he became an agnostic in adulthood.

## Synonyms
- skeptic
- doubter
- unbeliever
- freethinker
- secularist

## Antonyms
- believer
- theist
- gnostic
- dogmatist

## Derived Forms
- agnosticism
- agnostically

## Related Forms
- gnostic
- gnosticism
- agnosia

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ágnōstos
- Root: gignṓskein
- Root: *ǵneh₃-

## Etymology
Coined in 1869 by T. H. Huxley from Ancient Greek ágnōstos ('unknown, unknowable'), from a- ('not') + gnōstós ('known'), from gignṓskein ('to know').

## AI Etymology
Agnostic is a noun and adjective meaning "one who holds that the existence of God is unknown or unknowable". Historically, it is coined in 1869 by T. H. Huxley from Ancient Greek ágnōstos ('unknown, unknowable'), from a- ('not') + gnōstós ('known'), from gignṓskein ('to know'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: agnostic is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Ancient Greek ágnōstos, Ancient Greek gignṓskein, and Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃-. Close English family members include agnosticism, agnostically, gnostic, gnosticism, and agnosia.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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