Definition of HETERODOX

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Orthodoxy ... is my doxy - heterodoxy is another man's doxy, quipped 18th-century bishop William Warburton. He was only punning, but it is true that individuals often see other people's ideas as unconventional while regarding their own as beyond reproach. The antonyms "orthodox" and "heterodox" developed from the same root, the Greek doxa, which means "opinion." Heterodox derives from "doxa" plus "heter-," a combining form meaning "other" or "different"; "orthodoxy" pairs "doxa" with orth-, meaning "correct" or "straight."

Examples of heterodox in a Sentence

a Christian clergyman with a very heterodox opinion on the divinity of Jesus her heterodox approach to teaching science initially met with some resistance from her peers

Recent Examples on the Web

Partly in reaction, Campbell rebelled against authorities and defended heterodox ideas for their own sake. — Michael Saler, WSJ, "It Came From the Future," 18 Oct. 2018 To accompany the 2004 documentary — which will screen on Saturday with a Q. and A. afterward — the Metrograph will show some highlights of the Z Channel’s heterodox programming. — Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, "4 Film Series to Catch in N.Y.C. This Weekend," 12 July 2018 Even now, George Edwards and Matt Glassman argue that Trump cannot influence fellow partisans on his truly heterodox positions. — Christopher Baylor, Vox, "The post-Trump GOP looks a lot like the pre-Trump GOP," 6 Apr. 2018 As president, he’s shown no sign of that heterodox campaign persona, driving Trump-curious Democrats back to the fold. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "The Wisconsin Supreme Court election shows the blueprint for a Democratic wave," 5 Apr. 2018 One reason, according to campaign veterans and endorsers, was that the party’s voters are more heterodox than their party. — David Weigel, Washington Post, "A ‘tea party of the left’? Liberal activists learn tough lessons in quest to purify Democratic Party," 24 Mar. 2018 Trade was just one of many issues on which Trump took a heterodox stance in his campaign. — Molly Ball, Time, "President Trump's Tariffs Were His First Big Break With the GOP," 8 Mar. 2018 Friedersdorf: What about the boundary between engaging in heterodox intellectual inquiry and behavior that crosses a line into the harassment of an individual? — Conor Friedersdorf, The Atlantic, "A New Leader in the Push for Diversity of Thought on Campus," 6 Feb. 2018 But the heterodox, tolerant Islam that has set it apart from much of the Middle East is under threat. — The Economist, "Turkey’s religious authority surrenders to political Islam," 18 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'heterodox.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.