Unbelief
/ˌʌn.bɪˈliːf/noun
Lack of belief or faith, especially in a religious sense.
Did you know?In English, unbelief has long been used in religious writing to mean more than skepticism: it could signal a dangerous refusal of faith, not just a lack of certainty.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ga-laubjaną
“to hold dear, trust, believe”
Old English
OE
ġelēafa
“belief, faith”
Old English
OE
un- + ġelēafa
“absence of belief, unbelief”
Middle English
ME
unbeleve / unbelief
“lack of faith or disbelief”
Modern English
EN
unbelief
“lack of belief or faith, especially religious unbelief”