What does theologic mean?
Theologic is an uncommon formal adjective meaning “of or relating to theology.” Theology is the systematic study of religious belief, especially where questions about God, doctrine, revelation, or the nature of religious truth are concerned. A theologic argument may therefore draw on theology or organized religious doctrine rather than merely on general ideas about religion. The word can also describe distinctions, terminology, or principles connected with such study. In practice, theologic is closely associated with the far more familiar adjective theological, and speakers of modern English usually choose the latter. Theologic nevertheless has a distinctive scholarly tone and appears particularly in academic, literary, historical, or religious contexts. It can also be useful when a writer wishes to make an explicit connection to theology as a field of study. The word should not be treated as a separate concept from theological: its standard sense is essentially the same, but it is much rarer.
adjectiveOf or relating to theology or the systematic study of religious belief.
- Of or relating to theology or the systematic study of religious belief.
"Her theologic reasoning challenged the traditional interpretation of the doctrine."
"Her theologic reasoning challenged the traditional interpretation of the doctrine."
"The committee offered a theologic justification for revising the statement of faith."
Theologic preserves the sound of the Greek roots for “god” and “study” while occupying a corner of English that the more familiar theological has largely claimed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does theologic come from?
Theologic developed within the English family formed around theology and theological. Those words ultimately draw on Greek theos, meaning “god,” and logos, meaning “word,” “account,” or “study.” The suffix -ic was used to form the adjective, with the modern spelling theological becoming the dominant English form. Related words include theology and theologian.
How theologic is actually used
This is a formal and comparatively uncommon word, especially in contemporary English. Theological is normally preferred. Theologic can sound literary, specialized, or somewhat old-fashioned, and it should not be confused with theology, which is the study itself rather than an adjective describing it.
Easily confused with theologic
Theologic is a rare, less usual variant of theological; both can mean “of or relating to theology,” but theological is the standard modern adjective.