Hĕr'e-tic, n.

(123), n. [Lat. hæreticus, Gr. αἱρετικός, able to choose, heretical, from αἱρεῖν, to take, choose; Fr. hérétique, O. Fr. herege, Sp. heretico, herege, It. eretico, Pr. heretge. See supra.]

1Sense 1. One who holds to a heresy; one who believes some doctrine contrary to the Christian religion.

A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition, reject. Titus iii. 10.

2Sense 2. (Rom. Cath. Church.) One who does not acknowledge the teachings of the Roman Catholic church; a Protestant.

Synonyms—HERETIC, SCHISMATIC, SECTARIAN. A heretic is one whose errors are doctrinal, and usually of a malignant character, tending to subvert the true faith. A schismatic is one who creates a schism, or division in the church, on points of faith, discipline, practice, &c., usually for the sake of personal aggrandizement. A sectarian is one who originates or promotes a sect, or distinct organization, which separates from the main body of believers. Hence the expression “a sectarian spirit” has a slightly bad sense, which does not attach to “denominational.”