infidel

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   historical and often offensive: a person regarded as not accepting the religion considered true by the speaker

   Medieval chronicles often labeled members of rival faiths as infidels.

2. 2
   adj

   archaic: not accepting a particular religion, or associated with religious unbelief

   The polemic denounced what its author called infidel doctrines.

Simplified etymology

Infidel comes from Latin infidelis, meaning “not faithful,” based on fides, “faith.” It originally denoted someone belonging to a religion other than one’s own; the same Latin word also lies behind infidelity.

From Middle French infidele, from Latin infidelis ('unfaithful'), formed from in- ('not') + fidelis ('faithful'), the source of fidelity. English narrowed the word from general unfaithfulness to religious unbelief. Because it has often been used contemptuously for outsiders, modern use can be offensive.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary