Heresy Definition

Origin of Heresy

• From Old French heresie (modern hérésie), from Latin haeresis, from Ancient Greek αἵρεσις (hairesis, “choice, system of principles”), from αἱρέομαι (haireomai, “to take for one’s self, to choose”), the middle voice of αἱρέω (haireō, “to take”), from Proto-Indo-European *ster-; see also Welsh herw (“theft, raid”), Ancient Greek στερέω (stereō, “to deprive of”).

  From Wiktionary

• Middle English heresie from Old French from Late Latin haeresis from Late Greek hairesis from Greek a choosing, faction from haireisthai to choose middle voice of hairein to take

  From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition