agnostic

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj

Doubtful or uncertain about the existence or demonstrability of God or other deity.
Having no firmly held opinions on something.
Of or relating to agnosticism or its adherents.
Unaware or noncommittal regarding the specific nature of the components or input with which it interacts.

noun

A person who holds to a form of agnosticism, especially uncertainty of the existence of a deity.

Pronunciation

/aɡˈnɒstɪk/ /æɡˈnɑstɪk/ en-us-agnostic.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Simplificationalizer-agnostic.wav /æɡˈnɔstɪk/ en-au-agnostic.ogg

Word forms

agnostic more agnostic most agnostic agnostics

Etymology

Coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1870. Either from Ancient Greek ἄγνωστος (ágnōstos, “ignorant, not knowing”), or from a- + Gnostic, deriving (either way) from Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-, “not”) + γιγνώσκω (gignṓskō, “I know”).

Related words

agnosia agnosticism agnosy apatheism gnostic ignostic ignosticism atheist sceptic skeptic

Derived words

agnostically agnosticize antiagnostic anti-agnostic language-agnostic location-agnostic nonagnostic vendor agnostic vendor-agnostic

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