English · Word Candidate

atheist

/ˈeɪ.θi.ɪst/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: atheists

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A person who does not believe in deities or gods.

Noun

Examples

Atheists. One who does not believe in the existence of a Supreme Being, an atheist, is incompetent as a witness, being incapable of being sworn. […] Changed by Acts of 1851, No. 12 (P. S. 1593), under which, no question can be raised as to a witness's "opinions on matters of religious belief."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A person who does not believe in deities or gods. — A person who is certain that no deities exist or who thinks that the existence of deities can be disproven.

Noun

Examples

Ageine, the Atheistes, which say in their hartes there is no God; […]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

Of or relating to atheists or atheism; atheistic.

Adjective

Examples

He would have been seven times more Epicure and atheist than he was.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “atheist” mean?

A person who does not believe in deities or gods.

Is “atheist” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.