heterodox
adjective
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Hot take: individuals often see other people’s ideas as unconventional while regarding their own as common sense. On second thought, this take may be more on the mild side—in other words, closer to orthodox (“conventional”) insight about human nature than to heterodox (“unconventional” or “contrary”) opinion. Both orthodox and heterodox developed from the same root, the Greek doxa, meaning “opinion.” Heterodox combines doxa with heter-, a combining form meaning “other” or “different”; orthodox pairs doxa with orth-, meaning “correct” or “straight.”
Examples of heterodox in a Sentence
Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2025
White House officials disagreed that Trump’s China stance has fundamentally shifted from his first term, but did concede that the president has adopted a heterodox position compared to many of the hawks within the party.
—Christian Datoc, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
To escape this situation without crushing austerity measures, the government would almost certainly reach for heterodox options that are today more usually associated with emerging markets.
—Kenneth S. Rogoff, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025
The restaurant’s choices, it should be noted, are heterodox.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 29 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Heterodox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heterodox. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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heterodox
adjective
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