infidel
infidel — noun
- infidelsingular
- infidelsplural
1. an old word for a person whose religion is not the same as the speaker's religio
an old word for a person whose religion is not the same as the speaker's religion — it was widely used in historical religious conflicts, especially between Christian and Muslim societies, and is now considered insulting
Nadia's grandfather called anyone who missed Friday prayers at the mosque an infidel.
pejorative, historical usage, religious context
In history class, Sofia read an old European text that described Ottoman soldiers as infidels.
The teacher explained that calling someone an infidel can be deeply offensive in modern conversation.
During the Crusades, both Christian and Muslim armies referred to their enemies as infidels.
Aaron read the word "infidel" in a 19th-century travel diary about non-Christian villagers.
- unbeliever
similar in meaning but slightly less hostile; still formal and dated
- non-believer
more neutral, includes atheists and agnostics; the safest choice
- heathen
even stronger disapproval; very old-fashioned and insulting
- believer
neutral term for someone who shares the speaker's faith
用法筆記
This word carries strong negative judgment and is considered offensive in modern use. It should not be used today to describe someone of a different religion; neutral terms such as 'a person of a different faith' or 'non-believer' are safer.
常見錯誤
infidel — adjective
- infidelpositive
- more infidelcomparative
- most infidelsuperlative
1. used to describe a person or group whose beliefs fall outside a particular relig
used to describe a person or group whose beliefs fall outside a particular religion, as judged by followers of that religion
Brandon's diary called the mountain communities infidel tribes that had never heard of the Bible.
pejorative, describing a group as outside the faith
Reema felt uncomfortable when the speaker split the audience into faithful and infidel listeners.
The medieval king ordered the execution of infidel prisoners who refused to convert to Christianity.
Noa noted that the label "infidel" was used to exclude people who believed differently.
- unfaithful
can mean 'not religiously observant,' but also carries a separate meaning of marital disloyalty; avoid in this context
- godless
very negative; suggests total absence of belief, not just a different belief
- faithful
describes someone who follows the teachings of a religion
用法筆記
This adjective is almost always used by followers of a religion to describe people outside it, and it expresses strong disapproval. It is not a neutral descriptor.
常見錯誤
2. describes ideas, writings, or actions that followers of a religion view as hosti
describes ideas, writings, or actions that followers of a religion view as hostile to or a betrayal of their faith
The council declared the scholar's writings infidel and ordered all copies to be burned.
Walid was shocked to hear his moderate views called infidel by the conservative preacher.
Publishing the translated scriptures was treated as an infidel act by the local religious authorities.
During the trial, the judge called the protest an infidel rebellion against the state religion.
- orthodox
describes beliefs that follow the accepted teachings of a religion
用法筆記
This sense is rarer than the others and appears mostly in historical or religious texts. Like all senses of 'infidel', it conveys strong disapproval.