Gnostic

adj.

1. gnostic Of, relating to, or possessing intellectual or spiritual knowledge.
2. Of or relating to Gnosticism.

n.

A believer in Gnosticism.

[Late Latin Gnōsticus, a Gnostic, from Late Greek Gnōstikos, from Greek gnōstikos, concerning knowledge, from gnōsis, knowledge. See gnosis.]

Relating to knowledge, from the Greek gnosis (knowledge or investigation), which is also the root for 'cognitive' and 'cognition'. Gnosticism in general is a variety of religious belief, assuming privileged knowledge of the spiritual world — knowledge considered superior to the science of the day — and bringing with it the promise of salvation. It has taken many forms, having its origins in a variety of pagan sources, including Greek philosophy, Hellenistic mystery cults, and Babylonian and Egyptian mythology, and persisting into modern times in movements such as theosophy.

The best-known adherents are the Christian Gnostics, active during the 2nd century ad. They appeared first as schools of thought within the Church, eventually mostly becoming separate sects; indeed much of early Church doctrine was formulated to counteract their heresies. The various groups widely differed in their teachings and practices but in common made a distinction between a remote and unknowable Divine Being and an inferior deity (the Demiurge) who was the immediate source of creation which was necessarily imperfect since he was held to be antagonistic to the truly spiritual. Some men, however, were thought to contain a divine spark and, through gnosis and the (often secret) rites associated with it, this spiritual element could be rescued from its evil material environment. Gnosis came from the Divine Being through the medium of Christ bringing redemption.

(Published 1987)

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Religious thought and practice distinguished by the conviction that matter is evil and that emancipation comes through gnosis—esoteric knowledge of spiritual truth held to be essential to salvation.

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The adjective has one meaning:

Meaning #1: of or relating to Gnosticism
  Pertains to noun: Gnosticism (meaning #1)

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Dansk (Danish)
adj. - indsigtsfuld, vedrørende gnosis
n. - gnostiker

Français (French)
adj. - gnostique
n. - gnostique

Deutsch (German)
adj. - gnostisch
n. - Gnostiker

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - (φιλοσ.) Γνωστικός

Italiano (Italian)
gnostico

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - gnóstico

Русский (Russian)
гностик, гностический

Español (Spanish)
adj. - gnóstico
n. - gnóstico

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - gnostisk, kunskaps-

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
有知识的, 诺斯替教徒

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 有知識的
n. - 諾斯替教徒

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - (영적인) 지식의
n. - 영적인 지식의 신봉자

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - グノーシス主義者
adj. - 知識の, 霊知の, 賢い

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮קשור בידע או בפולחן מיסטי, גנוסטי‬
n. - ‮כופר נוצרי מהמאות הראשונות לספירה‬

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