Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The assent of the mind to the truth of a proposition or statement for which there is not complete evidence; belief in general.
  • noun Specifically Firm belief based upon confidence in the authority and veracity of another, rather than upon one's own knowledge, reason, or judgment; earnest and trustful confidence: as, to have faith in the testimony of a witness; to have faith in a friend.
  • noun In a more restricted sense: In theology, spiritual perception of the invisible objects of religious veneration; a belief founded on such spiritual perception.
  • noun Belief or confidence in a person, founded upon a perception of his moral excellence: as, faith in Christ.
  • noun Intuitive belief.
  • noun The doctrines or articles which are the subjects of belief, especially of religious belief; a creed; a system of religion; specifically, the Christian religion. See confession of faith, under confession, 3.
  • noun Recognition of and allegiance to the obligations of morals and honor; adherence to the laws of right and wrong, especially in fulfilling one's promise; faithfulness; fidelity; loyalty.
  • noun Fidelity expressed in a promise or pledge; a pledge given.
  • noun Credibility; truth.
  • noun [This phrase is often reduced to i' faith, or faith: see faith, interj.]
  • noun Tenets, dogmas, religion.
  • To believe; credit.
  • By my faith; in truth; indeed.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • interjection By my faith; in truth; verily.
  • noun Belief; the assent of the mind to the truth of what is declared by another, resting solely and implicitly on his authority and veracity; reliance on testimony.
  • noun The assent of the mind to the statement or proposition of another, on the ground of the manifest truth of what he utters; firm and earnest belief, on probable evidence of any kind, especially in regard to important moral truth.
  • noun The belief in the historic truthfulness of the Scripture narrative, and the supernatural origin of its teachings, sometimes called historical and speculative faith.
  • noun (Christian Theol.) The belief in the facts and truth of the Scriptures, with a practical love of them; especially, that confiding and affectionate belief in the person and work of Christ, which affects the character and life, and makes a man a true Christian, -- called a practical, evangelical, or saving faith.
  • noun That which is believed on any subject, whether in science, politics, or religion; especially (Theol.), a system of religious belief of any kind; ; also, the creed or belief of a Christian society or church.
  • noun Fidelity to one's promises, or allegiance to duty, or to a person honored and beloved; loyalty.
  • noun Word or honor pledged; promise given; fidelity.
  • noun rare Credibility or truth.
  • noun See Auto-da-fé.
  • noun etc. See under Breach, Confession, etc.
  • noun a method or practice of treating diseases by prayer and the exercise of faith in God.
  • noun with perfect sincerity.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A feeling, conviction, or belief that something is true or real, without having evidence.
  • noun A religious belief system.
  • noun An obligation of loyalty or fidelity and the observance of such an obligation.
  • noun A trust or confidence in the intentions or abilities of a person, object, or ideal.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny
  • noun complete confidence in a person or plan etc
  • noun loyalty or allegiance to a cause or a person
  • noun an institution to express belief in a divine power

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

12th century, from Middle English feith, from Old French feid, from Latin fidēs ("faith, belief, trust") (whence also English fidelity), from fīdō ("trust, confide in"), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰidʰ-, zero-grade of Proto-Indo-European *bʰeydʰ- (“to command, to persuade, to trust”) (whence also English bide).

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word faith.

Examples

  • The political instability has also undermined investors 'faith in our economy — faith we can ill-afford to lose.

    Democracy Is the Only Solution in Madagascar Marc Ravalomanana 2010

  • The political instability has also undermined investors 'faith in our economy — faith we can ill-afford to lose.

    Democracy Is the Only Solution in Madagascar Marc Ravalomanana 2010

  • The political instability has also undermined investors 'faith in our economy — faith we can ill-afford to lose.

    Democracy Is the Only Solution in Madagascar Marc Ravalomanana 2010

  • There is more involved than simply defending the role of faith in education – and unless 'faith schools 'show a keener than average awareness of some of the issues discussed above, they will be failing in a central aspect of their duty.

    Full text of the Good Childhood Report afterword 2009

  • We speak a great deal in Europe about 'faith-based' education, 'faith schools 'and so on.

    Archbishop - Education based only on reason is incomplete 2009

  • We speak a great deal in Europe about 'faith-based' education, 'faith schools 'and so on.

    Archbishop - Education based only on reason is incomplete 2009

  • "Turn the other cheek" is at the core of the red states 'faith, and though I guess it's buried pretty deep right now (I have a lot things buried deep in me too,) there's this concept in the Christian faith called the resurrection.

    Stephen Gyllenhaal: The Day After 9/11 2008

  • All of this -- the ''gut'' and ''instincts,'' the certainty and religiosity -connects to a single word, ''faith,'' and faith asserts its hold ever more on debates in this country and abroad.

    Archive 2004-10-01 2004

  • RESTON: Yes, well, I always wished I'd had my parents 'faith, but my parents thought of death as a reward, that we were on this earth for a brief span during which we should have faith in the Lord and raise our children, and when our days were over and we had finished our work, we would be rewarded by everlasting life.

    Deadline: A Memoir 1991

  • And though some reverend brethren are for admitting their children to baptism (and offended with me for contradicting it), yet so cannot I, nor shall I dare to do it upon any pretences of their ancestors 'faith, or of a dogmatical faith of these rebellious parents.

    The Reformed Pastor 1615-1691 1974

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "She's like this cleavagey slutbomb walking around going, 'Ooh, check me out. I'm wicked cool. I'm five-by-five"

    -Willow, about Faith, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4

    December 20, 2007

  • See truth for citation including faith.

    September 14, 2008