theosophy

the·os·o·phy
T1H4E1O1S1O1P3H4Y4
UK/θɪˈɒsəfɪ/US[θiˈɑs.ə.fi]

noun

Any doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism claiming that knowledge of God can be attained through mystical insight and spiritual ecstasy, and that direct communication with the transcendent world is possible.

Less commonScrabble 20

Meanings

theosophy1

nountheosophy (usually uncountable, plural theosophies)

plural theosophies · alternative archaic theosophie · alternative Theosophy

  1. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesAny doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism claiming that knowledge of God can be attained through mystical insight and spiritual ecstasy, and that direct communication with the transcendent world is possible.

    They have their own traditions of art and science. They do not […] discuss God or metaphysics or men. […] All their wisdom and theosophy, and all their grasp of beauty, truth or love, is in the singing. […] They look unloving enough, and so they are. Pitiless fallen angels.

    1984 Oct, Tanith Lee, “Bite-Me-Not, or Fleur de Feu”, in Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, volume 8, Davis Publications, →ISSN
  2. uncountableusuallylifestyleAny system which claims to attain communication with God and superior spirits by physical processes.

    […] was founded by the theosophist and kabbalist Martines de Pasqually […] included a peculiar form of theurgy mixed with the philosophy and theosophy of its founder.

    2007, Henrik Bogdan, Western esotericism and rituals of initiation, Albany: State University of New York Press, published 2012, →ISBN, page 103
    1 more example

    In Paracelsian theosophy, empathetic imagination was […] a powerful astral force which provided the basis for theurgy and prognostication, as well as for prophecy and mystical inspiration.

    2000, Urszula Szulakowska, The alchemy of light : geometry and optics in late Renaissance alchemical illustration, Leiden [u.a.]: Brill, →ISBN, page 8
  3. uncountableusuallyThe system of beliefs and doctrines of the Theosophical Society.

Theosophy2

noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of theosophy.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekθεοσοφῐ́ᾱ“knowledge of things divine”
  2. Medieval Latintheosophia
  3. Englishtheosophy

From Medieval Latin theosophia, from Ancient Greek θεοσοφῐ́ᾱ (theosophĭ́ā, “knowledge of things divine”, from θεός (theós, “god”) + σοφῐ́ᾱ (sophĭ́ā, “wisdom”)); By surface analysis, theo- + -sophy.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek θεοσοφία
  • θεοσοφία (theosophía)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Bulgarian теосо́фия
  • теосо́фия (teosófija)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Catalan teosofia
  • teosofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Czech teosofie
  • teosofiedoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Danish teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Dutch theosofie
  • theosofiedoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Estonian teosoofia
  • teosoofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Finnish teosofia
  • teosofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
French théosophie
  • théosophiedoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
German Theosophie
  • Theosophiedoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Greek θεοσοφία
  • θεοσοφία (theosofía)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Hindi थियोसोफी
  • थियोसोफी (thiyosophī)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Hungarian teozófia
  • teozófiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Icelandic guðspeki
  • guðspekidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Indonesian teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Italian teosofia
  • teosofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Korean 신지학
  • 신지학 (sinjihak)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Latin theosophia
  • theosophiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Malay teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Norwegian teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Polish teozofia
  • teozofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Portuguese teosofia
  • teosofiadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Romanian teozofie
  • teozofiedoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Russian теосо́фия
  • теосо́фия (teosófija)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Spanish teosofía
  • teosofíadoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Swedish teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Tagalog batharunungan
  • batharunungandoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Turkish teosofi
  • teosofidoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Ukrainian теосо́фія
  • теосо́фія (teosófija)doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Vietnamese thông thiên học
  • thông thiên họcdoctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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