Heretic (Noun)
Meaning 1
A person who holds unorthodox opinions in any field (not merely religion).
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The economist was labeled a heretic by his peers for suggesting that the free market was not always the most efficient system.
- The artist's unconventional use of materials and techniques led some to call her a heretic in the art world.
- The scientist's theory that contradicted the long-held views of her colleagues made her a heretic in the eyes of many.
- The politician's proposal to drastically reduce military spending was seen as heretical by many in the defense establishment.
- The philosopher's rejection of traditional notions of morality and ethics led some to brand him a heretic in academic circles.
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A person who holds religious beliefs in conflict with the dogma of the Roman Catholic Church.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- The Inquisition sought to root out the heretic who had been secretly spreading Protestant ideas in the small village.
- During the Middle Ages, anyone who questioned the authority of the Pope was labeled a heretic and faced severe punishment.
- The Catholic Church declared the theologian a heretic after he published a book challenging the doctrine of transubstantiation.
- The heretic was forced to recant his beliefs and perform a public act of penance to avoid being excommunicated.
- In the eyes of the Church, the Protestant reformer was a heretic who had led countless souls astray with his false teachings.