apostasy
apostasy
Definition
apos·tasy (ə päs′tə sē)
noun pl. -·sies
an abandoning of what one has believed in, as a faith, cause, or principles
Etymology: ME apostasie < LL(Ec) apostasia < Gr apo-, away + stasis, a standing: see stasis
apostasy
Usage Examples
Preposition: of
- people: For instance, Baal, a Canaanite deity, frequently became a factor in the apostasy of the Hebrew people.
Converse of object
- make: The deed suddenly wrought in the heat of excitement acted as a warning to multitudes who were preparing to make the same apostasy... .
Adjective modifier
- national: And the times of national apostasy were precisely the period of the prophetic dispensation.
- complete: The end result was disobedience and eventually complete apostasy from God, a falling away, a standing apart from the truth.
- universal: The settlers are trying to displace the locals from whole swathes of land, and the author blames their failure on a universal apostasy.
Modifies a noun
- law: This report tracks the application of apostasy laws around the world, citing many examples.
Preposition: in
- church: And isn't our era one of theological and moral confusion, of opposition to the truth, even of apostasy in the church?
Browse dictionary entries near apostasy
- apospory
- aposiopesis
- aposematic
- aport
- aporia
- apoplexy
- apoplectic
- apophysis
- apophyllite
- apophyge
- apostate
- apostatize
- apostil
- apostle
- Apostles' Creed
- apostolate
- apostolic
- apostolic delegate
- Apostolic Fathers
- apostolic see
