Doctrinal

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈdɒktɹɪnəl/

Definitions

1. Connected to the foundational beliefs or principles of a specific ideology or religion
2. Associated with the guiding doctrines or teachings that dictate the practices and thoughts within a particular belief system
3. Pertaining to the core tenets and teachings that shape the understanding and practices of a particular faith or philosophical system

Etymology: "Doctrinal" is a plain formation built on "doctrine," which comes from Latin "doctrina," meaning teaching or learning, itself rooted in "doctor," a teacher. The Latin ancestor of "doctrine" thus named the act of instruction before it came to mean a body of beliefs that is taught. The adjective appears to have arisen from Late Latin "doctrinalis," derived from "doctrina," with the suffix "-al" marking it as relating to doctrine. English has the noun "doctrinal" too, borrowed from French, and the two forms of the word have run side by side. The adjective's job is narrow and precise: it describes things that belong to a formal set of teachings, as when a church council settles a doctrinal dispute or a party platform is judged on doctrinal grounds.

Synonyms: theological, philosophical, principled, dogmatic, tenet-based

Antonyms: amoral, unprincipled, non-doctrinal, irreligious, indifferent