Heresy

her′e-si, n. the adoption and maintaining opinions contrary to the authorised teaching of the religious community to which one naturally belongs: an opinion adopted for one's self in opposition to the usual belief: heterodoxy.— ns. Heresiarch (her′e-si-ärk, or he-rē′zi-ärk), a leader in heresy, a chief among heretics; Heresiog′rapher , one who writes about heresies; Heresiog′raphy , a treatise on heresies; Heresiol′ogist , a student of, or writer on, heresies; Heresiol′ogy , the study or the history of heresies; Her′etic , the upholder of a heresy.— adj. Heret′ical .— adv. Heret′ically .— v.t. Heret′icate , to denounce as heretical. [O. Fr. heresie —L. hæres is —Gr. hairesis — hairein , to take.]