Hermeticism
/ˌhɜːrməˈtɪsɪzəm/noun
A philosophical and occult tradition based on writings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, combining Greek, Egyptian, and Near Eastern religious ideas.
Did you know?The Hermetic writings were attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, a legendary fusion of the Greek god Hermes and the Egyptian god Thoth, but scholars date most surviving texts to late antiquity.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ser-
“To protect, watch over, or keep safe; a proposed ancestral root associated with Hermes by some etymological traditions.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Ἑρμῆς (Hermēs)
“Hermes, the god of messages, interpretation, boundaries, trade, and cunning.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ἑρμητικός (hermētikos)
“Of or belonging to Hermes; later associated with the secret teachings attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.”
Late Antique Greek
Greek
Ἑρμητικὰ (Hermētika)
“The Hermetic writings, a body of philosophical and religious texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus.”
17th Century
English
hermetic
“Relating to occult philosophy or alchemy; also used for something sealed airtight.”
19th Century
English
Hermeticism
“The system or tradition of thought derived from Hermetic writings, especially as studied in occultism, philosophy, and Renaissance intellectual history.”