infidel

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noun in·fi·del \ ˈin-fə-dᵊl , -fə-ˌdel \

Updated on: 11 Sep 2017

Definition of infidel

1 :one who is not a Christian or who opposes Christianity

2 a :an unbeliever with respect to a particular religion

b :one who acknowledges no religious belief

3 :a disbeliever in something specified or understood

See infidel defined for English-language learners

See infidel defined for kids

Recent Examples of infidel from the Web

Their leaders have declared publicly 'death to the infidels!'

— kate morrissey, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Too far, not far enough: Split reaction to court's action on travel ban," 26 June 2017
This is what is waiting for them in the world, these infidels in the trenches were killed one by one fleeing their homes.

— seamus hughes, The Atlantic, "First He Became an American—Then He Joined ISIS," 25 May 2017
Your safety, your obligation to true Muslims, is to join the camp of Islam, the caliphate, and take up arms against the infidels.

— kurt eichenwald, Newsweek, "How Donald Trump Is Fueling ISIS," 27 Feb. 2017
When Christendom launched the Crusades, the holy wars that shaped Europe, in the eleventh century, Jews were the paradigmatic enemy inside (the infidel near at hand), and Muslims became the defining enemy outside (the infidel far away).

— james carroll, The New Yorker, "What Donald Trump Doesn’t Understand About Anti-Semitism," 23 Feb. 2017
But the Sunni extremists of Islamic State branded these Iraqis as infidels or heretics, and several hundred thousand members of these communities fled the group’s clutches, abandoning their property and homes.

— yaroslav trofimov, WSJ, "Iraqi Christians Return as Islamic State Retreats," 28 Oct. 2016
Over what — infidels, gays, society’s failure to grant him proper deference, all of it — remains unclear.

— dan barry, serge f. kovaleski, alan blinder and mujib mashal, New York Times, "‘Always Agitated. Always Mad’: Omar Mateen, According to Those Who Knew Him," 18 June 2016
To his kidnappers, Pearl was not a messenger to the outside world, but a scapegoat to be sacrificed for the sins of his fellow infidels.

— jeffrey goldberg, The Atlantic, "Before the Beheadings," 16 Nov. 2014
Their infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds on the gates of Baghdad.

— leander kahney, WIRED, "Wacky Iraqi Minister a Web Star," 14 Apr. 2003

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

Origin and Etymology of infidel

Middle English infidele, from Middle French, from Late Latin infidelis unbelieving, from Latin, unfaithful, from in- + fidelis faithful — more at fidelity

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

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infidel

adjective

Definition of infidel

1 :not holding the faith of a given religion

Either they must come to terms with surrounding infidel tribes or they must conquer the hinterland.
—Daniel J. Boorstin

the infidel nations

2 :opposing or traitorous to a given religion

infidel writers

an infidel sect

Recent Examples of infidel from the Web

Mr Shihab has denounced Mr Cornelis as a kafir, or infidel.

— The Economist, "Borneo againIndonesian Islamists open a new front in their war on tolerance," 20 July 2017
Al-Binali was at the time reportedly head of the ISIS Research and Fatwa Department, which released a fatwa allowing rape of infidel women around the time of the campaign against the Yazidis and their subsequent enslavement.

— robert windrem, NBC News, "ISIS Leader Who Approved Sex Slaves Killed By U.S. Airstrike," 2 June 2017
There were female jailers who beat and cursed her and called her an infidel.

— robert f. worth, New York Times, "Aleppo After the Fall," 24 May 2017
When Christendom launched the Crusades, the holy wars that shaped Europe, in the eleventh century, Jews were the paradigmatic enemy inside (the infidel near at hand), and Muslims became the defining enemy outside (the infidel far away).

— james carroll, The New Yorker, "What Donald Trump Doesn’t Understand About Anti-Semitism," 23 Feb. 2017
By the time of the Hispaniola revolt, Spanish authorities had already forbidden travel by any infidel, whether Muslim, Jewish, or Protestant, to its New World colonies, which at the time included the land that is now the United States.

— andrew lawler, Smithsonian, "Muslims Were Banned From the Americas as Early as the 16th Century," 7 Feb. 2017
They were forced by the Hisbah to stand up in mosques and public squares, in front of crowds, and declare their regret for having enforced the laws of the infidel government.

— National Geographic, "Surviving the Fall of ISIS," 17 Oct. 2016

First Known Use of infidel

1551

INFIDEL Defined for Kids

infidel

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noun in·fi·del \ ˈin-fə-dᵊl , -fə-ˌdel \

Definition of infidel for Students

:a person who does not believe in a certain religion

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Spanish Central: Translation of infidel Nglish: Translation of infidel for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of infidel for Arabic speakers

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infidel

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infidel

Definition of infidel

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infidel

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