Meanings
theism1
plural theisms
- countableuncountableBelief in the existence of at least one deity.
Synonyms: religion · Antonyms: atheism, irreligion, irreligiousness, antitheism, antireligiousness
- countableuncountablestrictlyBelief in the existence of a personal creator god, goddess, gods and/or goddesses present and active in the governance and organization of the world and the universe. The God may be known by or through revelation.
The term stands in contradistinction to theism which, in its widest sense, means belief in a personal god, goddess, gods and/or goddesses.
1999, Jeaneane D. Fowler, Humanism: Beliefs & Practices, page 66
theism2
- uncountablemedicineA morbid condition resulting from excessive consumption of tea.
"Theism" belongs to that genus of disease in which morphinism, caffeinism, and vanillaism belong.
1888, John C. Cutter, “Narcotics, stimulants, and depressants”, in Comprehensive anatomy, physiology, and hygiene : adapted for schools, academies, colleges, and families : with instruction on the effects of stimulants and narcotics, and brief directions for illustrative dissections of mammals, for elementary work with the microscope, for physiological demonstrations on the human body, and for the management of emergent cases, 3rd edition, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, →OCLC, page 3501 more example
A single cup of tea may cause excitement and insomnia, while a stronger dose rarely fails to produce acute "theism," characterized by excitement, hyperaesthesia, palpitation, sweats, and frequent micturition; it may occasionally simulate delirium tremens, […]
1906 September 15, “Our breakfast beverages”, in The British Medical Journal, volume 2, London: British Medical Association, →ISSN, page 653
Synonyms & antonyms
nounBelief in the existence of at least one deity.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe doctrine or belief in the existence of a God or gods
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
theism · noun
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰéh₁s
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰh₁sós
- Proto-Hellenic*tʰehós
- Ancient Greekθεός (theós)
- Ancient Greekθεο- (theo-)
- Latintheo-
- Englishtheo-
- Englishtheism
Coined, theo- + -ism. ultimately from Ancient Greek θεός (theós, “god”). Attested in English from 1678, theist being attested 16 years earlier in 1662. Cognate French théisme, as in Diderot Principes de la philosophie morale (1745), which was probably borrowed from English.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →theism · noun
- New Latinthea“tea”
- Englishtheism
Borrowing from New Latin thea (“tea”, noun) + English -ism.
More words from New Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans theïsme
- theïsmebelief in existence of at least one deity
Bulgarian вяра в бог
- вяра в бог (vjara v bog)belief in existence of at least one deity
Catalan teisme
- teismebelief in existence of at least one deity
Chinese Mandarin 有神論 /有神论
- 有神論 /有神论 (yǒushénlùn)belief in existence of at least one deity
Czech teismus
- teismusbelief in existence of at least one deity
Danish teisme
- teismebelief in existence of at least one deity
Dutch theïsme
- theïsmebelief in existence of at least one deity
Esperanto teismo
- teismobelief in existence of at least one deity
Estonian teism
- teismbelief in existence of at least one deity
Finnish teismi, teismi
- teismibelief in existence of at least one deity
- teismibelief in the existence of a personal, present and active creator God
French théisme
- théismebelief in existence of at least one deity
German Theismus
- Theismusbelief in existence of at least one deity
Greek θεϊσμός, θεϊσμός
- θεϊσμός (theïsmós)belief in existence of at least one deity
- θεϊσμός (theïsmós)belief in the existence of a personal, present and active creator God
Hindi आस्तिकता
- आस्तिकता (āstiktā)belief in existence of at least one deity
Hungarian teizmus, teizmus
- teizmusbelief in existence of at least one deity
- teizmusbelief in the existence of a personal, present and active creator God
Japanese 有神論
- 有神論 (yūshinron)belief in existence of at least one deity
Korean 유신론
- 유신론 (yusinnon)belief in existence of at least one deity
Latin theismus
- theismusbelief in existence of at least one deity
Norwegian Bokmål teisme
- teismebelief in existence of at least one deity
Polish teizm, teizm
- teizmbelief in existence of at least one deity
- teizmbelief in the existence of a personal, present and active creator God
Portuguese teísmo
- teísmobelief in existence of at least one deity
Romanian teism
- teismbelief in existence of at least one deity
Russian теи́зм
- теи́зм (teízm)belief in existence of at least one deity
Spanish teísmo
- teísmobelief in existence of at least one deity
Swedish teism
- teismbelief in existence of at least one deity
Thai เทวนิยม
- เทวนิยมbelief in existence of at least one deity
Turkish tanrıcılık, teizm
- tanrıcılıkbelief in existence of at least one deity
- teizmbelief in existence of at least one deity
Urdu خدا پرستی
- خدا پرستی (xudâ parasti)belief in existence of at least one deity
Vietnamese thuyết có thần
- thuyết có thầnbelief in existence of at least one deity
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
theism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theism
“theism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theism. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “theism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/theism.
Source: theism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.