Definition of: heretic

(her′ə·tik) noun
1. One who holds a heresy.
2. An actual or former member of a church, or one whose allegiance is claimed by it, who holds religious opinions contrary to the fundamental doctrines and tenets of that church. [<MF hérétique <LL haereticus <Gk. hairetikos able to choose <haireesthai choose]
—he·ret·i·cal (hə·ret′i·kəl) adjective
—he·ret′i·cal·ly adverb Synonyms: dissenter, heresiarch, nonconformist, schismatic. Etymologically, a heretic is one who takes or chooses his own belief, instead of the belief of his church; a schismatic is primarily one who produces a split or rent in the church. A heretic differs in doctrine from the religious body with which he is connected; a schismatic differs in doctrine or practice, or in both. A heretic may be reticent, or even silent; a schismatic introduces divisions. A heresiarch is the author of a heresy or the leader of a heretical party, and is thus at once a heretic and a schismatic. With advancing ideas of religious liberty, the odious sense once attached to these words is largely modified, and heretic is often used playfully. Dissenter and nonconformist are terms specifically applied to English subjects who hold themselves aloof from the Church of England.