Atheist
/ˈeɪ.θi.ɪst/noun
A person who does not believe in the existence of a god or gods.
Did you know?In ancient Greek, related forms of this root could be used as a charge of being abandoned by the gods, so the word began life as a social and spiritual insult, not a neutral label.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
átheos (ἄθεος)
“godless; without gods, or abandoned by the gods”
Late Greek
Greek
atheistḗs (ἀθειστής)
“a godless person; one who denies the gods”
16th Century
Latin
atheista
“a person who denies God or gods”
16th Century
English
atheist
“one who does not believe in God or gods”
Modern English
English
atheist
“a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or gods”
Explore more surprising origins