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DEFINITION OF WORDS RELATING TO MYSTICISM
Definitions Regarding Gnosticism
mystic, mystical: adj. 1. mysterious or occult. 2. spiritual.
n. 3. believer in mysticism.
mysticism: n. Belief in direct spiritual intuition (or instinctive
knowledge) of god, truth, etc.
Occult: adj. 1. outside ordinary knowledge. n. 2. occult study.
theosophy: n. any of various forms of thought in which a claim
is made to a special insight into the divine nature or to a
special divine revelation.
philosophy: n. 1. study of the truths underlying being and knowledge.
2. system of philosophical belief. 3. principles of a particular
field of knowledge. 4. calmness.
adj. philosophic, philosophical.
v. philosophize.
gnosis n. Intuitive apprehension of spiritual truths, an
esoteric form of knowledge sought by the Gnostics. Gk. gnosis,
knowledge gignoskein, to know.
gnostic adj. 1. Of, relating to, or possessing intellectual
or spiritual knowledge. 2. Gnostic. Of or pertaining to Gnosticism.
n. Gnostic. A believer in Gnosticism. Lat. Gnosticus, a Gnostic Gk.
Gnostikos gignoskein, to know.
Gnosticism n. The doctrines of certain early Christian sects
that valued inquiry into spiritual truth above faith, considered
salvation attainable only by the few whose faith enabled them to
transcend matter, and viewed Christ as noncorporeal.
ascetic: n. 1. one who lives abstemiously.
adj. 2. abstemious (moderate in eating, drinking, etc.).
asceticism, n.
epicure: n. connoisseur of food and drink.
epicurian, adj., n.
esoteric: adj. intended for a select few.
emanate: intr. & tr.v. To come or send forth, as from a source.
Lat. emanare, emanat-, flow out:
ex-, out manare, to flow. emanative adj.
emanation: n. 1. An act or instance of emanating.
2. a. Something that emanates or issues from a source; effluence.
b. Chem. A gaseous product of radioactive disintegration.
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