infidel

/ˈɪn.fə.dl̩/

infidel adjective: rejecting a specific religion.

Adjective

infidel (comparative more infidel, superlative most infidel)

Rejecting a specific religion.
Of, characteristic of, or relating to unbelievers or unbelief.
- (...) how it is that to his name who yesterday departed for the other world, we prefix so significant and infidel a word, and yet do not thus entitle him, if he but embarks for the remotest Indies of this living earth;(...)1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 7, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC
- But not only have the priests tried to make the very term Atheism odious, as if it would destroy all of good and beautiful in nature, but some of the reformers, not having the moral courage to avow their own sentiments, wishing to be popular, fearing lest their reforms would be considered Infidel...1881, Ernestine Rose, A Defence of Atheism, J.P. Mendum, page 20

infidel (plural infidels)

(derogatory, usually) One who does not believe in a certain religion.
- The infidel writer is a greater enemy to society.1779, Vicesimus Knox, On the Prevalence of Religious Scepticism
- Some Muslims are taught that non-Muslims are infidels and are to be shunned.2005, George W. Braswell, Islam and America: Answers to the 31 Most-asked Questions, page 33
(derogatory, usually) One who does not believe in a certain principle.
(derogatory, usually) One with no religious beliefs.

Synonyms:

atheist
(derogatory, usually) An openly Islamophobic individual receiving or seeking praise from other Islamophobic people.
- I am a proud infidel. I believe in Jesus Chirst, the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins.2006, Cary, “No More Capitals”, in The "O" Word: Conservative by Nature, Christian by Choice
- Stripping out the obsolete debate, The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran focuses on the decrees toward Jews and Christians, how they were viewed by Muhammad, what “the infidels” have done wrong and what the Koran has in store for them.2009, Robert Spencer, The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran, Simon and Schuster

சமய நம்பிக்கையற்றவர், நாத்திகர், சமய நம்பிக்கையை, குறிப்பாக கிறித்தவத்தை ஏற்காதவர், சமயத்தை ஏற்காதவர், குறிப்பாக இசுலாமியர்

More languagesFewer languages

infidel in Malayalam: മതവിശ്വാസമില്ലാത്തവൻ, അവിശ്വാസി, ക്രിസ്തുവിശ്വാസമില്ലാത്തവൻ, നാസ്തികനായ
infidel in Kannada: ನಂಬದವನು
infidel in Gujarati: જુદ્દીન juddīn, દુરવંદ durvand
infidel in Sanskrit: धन्य dhanya, पाषण्ड pāṣaṇḍa
infidel in Pashto: کافر kāfér
infidel in Arabic: كَافِر kāfir, كَافِرَة kāfira
infidel in Malay: kafir
infidel in Indonesian: kafir, keparat
infidel in Persian: کافر kâfar

First attested 1460, from Middle French infidèle, from Latin īnfidēlis (“unfaithful”), from in- (“not”) + fidēlis (“faithful”). See fidelity.

What does infidel mean?: Infidel means rejecting a specific religion.
What is infidel in Hindi?: Infidel in Hindi is नास्तिक (nāstik), काफ़िर (kāfir). See Infidel meaning in Hindi.
What part of speech is infidel?: Infidel can be an adjective or a noun.
How do you pronounce infidel?: Infidel is pronounced /ˈɪn.fə.dl̩/.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-infidel.wav.

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