atheism
n. uncountablen. the belief that no god or gods exist. People who hold this view are called atheists.
n. the disbelief in or denial of the existence of a deity or deities.
Atheism is a common view in many modern countries.
Her atheism did not stop her from respecting religious traditions.
The rise of secularism in Europe has led to a significant increase in self-identified atheism among younger generations.
16th century Middle French athéisme, from athée (“atheist”), a loan from Ancient Greek ἄθεος (átheos, “godless”, from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + θεός (theós, “deity, god”)). First English attestation dates to 1587 (OED).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 4, 2026