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Manichaean

Manichaean

1 9.9
A person who follows an ancient religion that teaches a struggle between good and evil
  • noun
  • /ˌmænɪˈkiːən/
  • Specialized
: maniqueo
  • He is first a Platonist, sort of, then a Manichaean, then a Christian Platonist, and then a more fervent Christian.

And it's developed more as response to heretics, Gnostics, Manichaeans.

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Examples

  • He targets the Manichaeans, who are a very popular group at his time, a church that he actually belonged to.

  • Despite the best efforts of Augustine, himself a lapsed Manichaean, the doctrine was not entirely eradicated, and when it resurfaced in the eleventh century with the steak-spurning Bogomils, many were in fact burned at the stake.

    Academic text (2000)
  • Many scholars consider Mani, the founder of Manichaeanism, to be one of the most influential religious figures of his time.

  • As a Manichaean, he believed that life is a constant battle between good and evil forces.

  • In conversations about religious beliefs, you may encounter someone who identifies as a Manichaean, emphasizing the dichotomy of good versus evil.

Synonyms

Manichean
vsManichaean
1 9.9

A person who believes the world is divided into good and evil

serves as the standard modern form in many sources
Manichee
vsManichaean
1 9.9

A person who follows an ancient religion that says the world is a struggle between light and darkness

serves as the modern preferred spelling rather than the older variant

Surface Forms

Manichaean singular
Manichaeans plural

Morphology

Manichaean = Manichaeism (transparent) = manichae + ean

The agent/noun sense is formed regularly from the religion name using the adjectival/denominal suffix, so the relation is direct.

Etymology

Manichaean is a follower of Mani, the prophet who taught that life is a fight between 'good' and 'evil'. So a Manichaean believed in a clear, simple split between the two sides.