Hermesian

US/həɹˈmi.ʒən/

Hermesian adjective: pertaining to the theological writings of Georg Hermes, especially in the attempt to reconcile faith with Kantian reason.

Adjective (1)

Hermesian (comparative more Hermesian, superlative most Hermesian)

Pertaining to the theological writings of Georg Hermes, especially in the attempt to reconcile faith with Kantian reason.
- The measure taken by Mgr. de Droste, against the publication of Hermesian writings, is thus most fully justified, not only by the dictate of his own conscience, and by the canons of the Catholic Church, but also by the civil law, where the rights of the archbishop are laid down with the utmost...1840 August, Joseph Go:rres, “Art V. - Athanasius”, in The Dublin Review, volume 9, number 17, page 137
- He ended the heretical dissensions created by the Hermesian School by suspending the refractory Hermesian professors Braun and Achterfeldt of Bonn; and he reorganized the theological faculty of that university by calling in as professors Dieringer and Martin, men of unsuspected orthodoxy.1913, The Catholic Encyclopedia

Hermesian (plural Hermesians)

A follower of the theology of Georg Hermes.
- Hermesians declare that what was condemned at Rome was not Hermes' teaching, but a libellous caricature of it. He himself always protested that his system did not touch any point of the Catholic faith.1951, James Hastings, John Alexander Selbie, Louis Herbert Gray, Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics - Volumes 5-6, page 625
- The Hermesians offered a welcome target for the fierce clericalist hatred which found expression in such writings.1968, History of Germany in the Nineteeth Century, page 245

Hermesian (comparative more Hermesian, superlative most Hermesian)

Pertaining to the Hermetic Corpus, Hermes Trismegistus, or the associated form of mysticism.
- These are the figures of such of the celestial hieroglyphics, as we have been able to find and make out; and now we are going to represent the three other classes, according to promise, with all the different figures of the Hermesian alphabets, or hieroglyphics.1806, Aḥmad ibn ʻAlī ibn Qays al-Kasdānī Abū Bakr Ibn Waḥšiyyaẗ, Ancient Alphabets and Hieroglyphic Characters Explained
- At the present day in India, Hermesian paganism vastly predominates, and it was, therefore, quite in consonance with Brahman ideas to decree, on this fitting occasion, special honour to the house-cat.1869 June, Nomad, “The Governor's Guard”, in Colburn's United Service Magazine, volume 3, page 215

Hermesian (plural Hermesians)

Any of the Gnostics who contributed to writing the Hermetic Corpus.
- Our object is only to mention the most celebrated of these alphabets of the Hermesians, ( or hieroglyphics, ) and to indicate their particular qualities; for nobody is capable of giving a satisfactory explanation of them all.1806, Aḥmad ibn ʻAlī Ibn Waḥshīyah, Ancient Alphabets and Hieroglyphic Characters Explained
- Their secrets, however, were expressed in the hieroglyphics, invented by Hermes, and understood by his descendants, called Hermesians.1824, The Classical Journal - Volumes 1-2, page 117

Hermesian (comparative more Hermesian, superlative most Hermesian)

Eventually German bishops succeeded to "purify" the centers of Hermesian thought such as Bonn, Munich, and Breslau.2005, Hans Schwarz, Theology in a Global Context: The Last Two Hundred Years, page 417:
Back in Germany, the Hermesians reacted to the Brief by deeming the pope ill-informed, a “mere marionette of German intriguers.”2011, The Conversation of Faith and Reason, page 80:
The very bishops who, as friends of Hermes and his school, could have provided the most specific information about the orthodoxy of the Hermesians, had not been asked about it.2018, Ferdinand Christian Baur, Peter C. Hodgson, Church and Theology in the Nineteenth Century, page 265:
The Hermesian spirit, then, is a call to widen our perspectives to include as much of the world as possible, and to believe that not only nature, but the man-made world too, has a spiritual character.2011, Gary Lachman, The Quest For Hermes Trismegistus:

From Hermes + -ian after Georg Hermes.

From Hermes + -ian after Hermes Trismegistus.

From Hermes + -ian after the Greek god Hermes.

What does Hermesian mean?: Hermesian means pertaining to the theological writings of Georg Hermes, especially in the attempt to reconcile faith with Kantian reason.
How do you use Hermesian in a sentence?: Eventually German bishops succeeded to "purify" the centers of Hermesian thought such as Bonn, Munich, and Breslau.
What part of speech is Hermesian?: Hermesian can be an adjective or a noun.
How do you pronounce Hermesian?: Hermesian is pronounced /həɹˈmi.ʒən/ (US).

Adapted from Wiktionary: Hermesian (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Cite this entry: “Hermesian.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/hermesian. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.