Ophism
/ˈɒfɪzəm/noun
A Gnostic religious system associated with the veneration or symbolic importance of the serpent.
Did you know?The name comes from Greek óphis, “serpent,” and reflects the Ophites’ use of the biblical serpent as a liberating figure who offered humanity knowledge rather than simple evil.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₁ogʷʰis
“Serpent or snake; the reconstructed ancestor of several serpent-related terms”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὄφις (óphis)
“Snake or serpent”
2nd–3rd Century
Greek
Ὀφῖται (Ophîtai)
““Serpent people,” a label applied to Gnostic groups associated with serpent symbolism”
18th–19th Century
English
Ophism
“A term for the religious or Gnostic system connected with the Ophites”
Modern English
English
Ophism
“A historical name for serpent-centered Gnostic doctrine”