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''infidel'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20250817013326-00-⌔

infidel - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Adjective

infidel (comparative more infidel, superlative most infidel)

  • Rejecting a specific religion.
  • Of, characteristic of, or relating to unbelievers or unbelief.
    • ✤ (…) how it is that to his name who yesterday departed for the other world, we prefix so significant and infidel a word, and yet do not thus entitle him, if he but embarks for the remotest Indies of this living earth;(…)1
    • ✤ But not only have the priests tried to make the very term Atheism odious, as if it would destroy all of good and beautiful in nature, but some of the reformers, not having the moral courage to avow their own sentiments, wishing to be popular, fearing lest their reforms would be considered Infidel, (as all reforms assuredly are), shield themselves from the stigma, by joining in the tirade against Atheism, and associate it with everything that is vile, with the crime of slavery, the corrup­tions of the Church, and all the vices imaginable.2

Noun

infidel (plural infidels) (now usually derogatory)

  • One who does not believe in a certain religion.
    • ✤ The infidel writer is a greater enemy to society.3
    • ✤ Some Muslims are taught that non-Muslims are infidels and are to be shunned.4
  • One who does not believe in a certain principle.
  • One with no religious beliefs.
  • An openly Islamophobic individual receiving or seeking praise from other Islamophobic people.
    • ✤ I am a proud infidel. I believe in Jesus Chirst, the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins.5
    • ✤ Stripping out the obsolete debate, The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran focuses on the decrees toward Jews and Christians, how they were viewed by Muhammad, what “the infidels” have done wrong and what the Koran has in store for them.6
    • ✤ The post is set to a backdrop of an American flag and reads, “Proud Infidel. F﹡﹡﹡ Islam and F﹡﹡﹡ Muslims.”7

Etymology

First attested 1460, from Middle French infidèle, from Latin īnfidēlis (“unfaithful”), from in- (“not”) + fidēlis (“faithful”). See fidelity.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈɪn.fə.dl̩/, /ˈɪn.fəˌdɛl/
    • Audio (Southern England): 🔊

Printed 2026-06-28.

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Footnotes

  1. 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 7, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC: ↩

  2. 1881, Ernestine Rose, A Defence of Atheism, J.P. Mendum, page 20: ↩

  3. 1779, Vicesimus Knox, On the Prevalence of Religious Scepticism: ↩

  4. 2005, George W. Braswell, Islam and America: Answers to the 31 Most-asked Questions, page 33: ↩

  5. 2006, Cary, “No More Capitals”, in The “O” Word: Conservative by Nature, Christian by Choice ‎: ↩

  6. 2009, Robert Spencer, The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran, Simon and Schuster: ↩

  7. 2014, ABC 13 Eyewitness News, “Firefighter’s Facebook post about Islam sparks HFD investigation”, in ABC 13 Eyewitness News ‎: ↩

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