Catharism

C3A1T1H4A1R1I1S1M3

proper noun

A Christian religious sect of mediaeval Europe, with dualistic and gnostic elements; condemned as a heresy by Pope Innocent III in 1209.

Similar
Albigensianism
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. historicalA Christian religious sect of mediaeval Europe, with dualistic and gnostic elements; condemned as a heresy by Pope Innocent III in 1209.

Synonyms & antonyms

nouna Christian movement considered to be a medieval descendant of Manichaeism in southern France in the 12th and 13th centuries; characterized by dualism (asserted the coexistence of two mutually opposed principles, one good and one evil); was exterminated for heresy during the Inquisition

Similar
Albigensianism
Broader
ChristianityChristian religionheresyunorthodoxy
Also see
albigensianism

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From Cathar + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Catharism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Catharism

MLA

“Catharism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Catharism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Catharism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Catharism.

Source: Catharism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.