What does apostasy mean?
Apostasy is the formal renunciation or abandonment of a religion, faith, or deeply held allegiance such as a political cause. The word carries a tone of gravity and often condemnation: within many religious traditions, apostasy has historically been regarded not as a private change of mind but as a serious transgression against the community itself, sometimes punished by excommunication or, in some legal systems still today, by harsher penalties. Beyond religion, the term extends metaphorically to any dramatic break with a former loyalty, as when a politician's switch of parties is branded apostasy by erstwhile allies. A person who commits apostasy is called an apostate, and the act may be described as apostatizing. Derived from the Greek word for 'standing away' or 'defection', apostasy entered English through Latin and has retained its formal, weighty register ever since, making it a precise and evocative choice whenever deliberate betrayal of a former creed is at stake.
nounThe abandonment or renunciation of a religious faith, political party, cause, or set of beliefs one formerly held.
- The formal renunciation or abandonment of a religious faith.
- The abandonment of a previous loyalty to a political party, cause, principle, or leader.
"His conversion was seen as an apostasy by the community he had left behind."
"Under the old regime, apostasy from the state church could cost a person their property and standing."
"Veterans of the movement denounced his defection as nothing less than political apostasy."
The plural 'apostasies' is grammatically standard but uncommon; apostasy is usually treated as uncountable when referring to the general act, and the singular suffices even for multiple individuals' acts of abandonment.
"The chroniclers recorded the apostasies of several prominent converts during the persecution."
In several countries today, apostasy from Islam remains punishable by law — making this ancient Greek word startlingly current.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of apostasy
Apostasy derives from the Greek 'apostasia', meaning 'defection' or 'revolt', formed from 'apistasthai', 'to stand away from', which combines 'apo-' ('away') and 'stasis' ('standing'). The term passed into Latin as 'apostasia' before entering English in the late Middle Ages, where it was first applied chiefly to the abandonment of the Christian faith. Cognates include 'apostate' (one who commits apostasy) and, more distantly, words built on the same Greek root for standing, such as 'apostle' via a related sense of being sent forth.
Related word forms
How apostasy is actually used
Apostasy is a formal, often weighty term with strong religious and moral connotations; it is typically used in contexts where the abandoned belief system carries serious consequences. It is more severe than mere doubt or lapse, implying deliberate, public repudiation. The corresponding agent noun is 'apostate' and the verb is 'apostatize'.
Easily confused with apostasy
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (or an address to an absent person in rhetoric), whereas apostasy is the renunciation of a belief or allegiance — they share only Greek roots relating to 'turning away'.
Apocrypha are writings of doubtful authenticity, while apostasy is the act of abandoning one's former beliefs.