Manichaeus

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A follower of a dualistic religious movement founded by a Persian prophet in the third century, characterized by the belief in the struggle between good and evil forces
2. One who adheres to an ancient faith that posits a cosmic conflict between light and darkness, advocating for ascetic practices and a strict moral code
3. An individual associated with a historical sect emphasizing the opposition of spiritual light to material darkness through a syncretic blend of philosophical and religious ideas

Etymology: The name traces back to Mani, a third-century prophet born in Mesopotamia, whose teaching held that the world is a battleground between a realm of light and a realm of darkness. His followers, Manichaeans, were known in Latin as "Manichaeus" and in Greek as "Manikhaios," and English borrowed the Latin form. The word therefore names a person first, and only secondarily a belief system, which is why a "Manichaean" is literally a follower of one man. The adjective and noun carry that dualist worldview into English. Because Mani's religion spread widely across the Roman world and beyond, its adherents became a byword for anyone who divides reality into two opposed principles, good and evil, spirit and matter. The Latin and Greek forms passed into English through scholarly and religious writing rather than everyday speech, which explains why the word still sounds technical today.

Synonyms: Manichaean, Manichean