Atheist Meaning
/ˈeɪθiɪst/Definition, CEFR level C2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA person who does not believe in deities or gods.
nounA person who does not believe in deities or gods., A person who is certain that no deities exist or who thinks that the existence of deities can be disproven.
Sentence Examples
He avowed himself an atheist.
Mark Zuckerberg is atheist, not theist.
The biggest defeat for an atheist is ending up in paradise.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ stated firmly that he does not believe in any gods.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The young ____ spoke about his personal beliefs at the local meeting.
Word Origin & History
From Middle French athéiste (athée + -iste), from Latin atheos, from Ancient Greek ἄθεος (átheos, “godless, without god”), from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + θεός (theós, “god”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Atheists. One who does not believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, an atheist, is incompetent as a witness, being incapable of being sworn. […] Changed by Acts of 1851, No. 12 (P. S. 1593), under which, no question can be raised as to a witness's "opinions on matters of religious belief.""
— 1910, The Vermont Digest 1789-1905, volume 2, Burlington: Free Press Printing Co:
"Ageine, the Atheistes, which say in their hartes there is no God; […]"
— 1571 October 20, Arthur Golding, “The Epistle Dedicatory”, in Psalmes of Dauid and others, with M. John Caluin's Commentaries:
"An atheist, like a Christian, holds that we can know whether or not there is a God. The Christian holds that we can know there is a God; the atheist, that we can know there is not."
— 1953 November 3, Bertrand Russell, “What is an Agnostic?”, in Look:
"Minister—Are you really an Atheist?
Atheist—Yes.
M.—Do you deny that there is a god?
A.—No. I deny that there is sufficient reason to believe there is one. There may be a god, but I think it rather unlikely."
— 1843, G. J. Holyoake, “A Reciprocal Dialogue”, in Thomas Paterson, editors, The Oracle of Reason, Or, Philosophy Vindicated, volume 2, number 64, page 89:
"Very low probability, but short of zero. De facto atheist. ‘I cannot know for certain but I think God is very improbable, and I live my life on the assumption that he is not there.’"
— 2006 September 18, Richard Dawkins, “The God Hypothesis”, in The God Delusion, 1st Am. edition, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OL, LCC BL2775.3.D39 2006, page 51:
Explore More C2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The ____ stated firmly that he does not believe in any gods.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The young ____ spoke about his personal beliefs at the local meeting.