From Middle English heretyk, heretike, from Old French eretique, from Medieval Latin - or el. haereticus, from Ancient Greek αἱρετικός, itself from Ancient Greek αἱρέω.

• (noun) (America) IPA: /ˈhɛɹɪtɪk/

heretic (plural heretics)

1. Someone whose beliefs are contrary to the fundamental tenets of a religion they claim to belong to.
   • c. 1503–1512, John Skelton, Ware the Hauke; republished in John Scattergood, editor, John Skelton: The Complete English Poems, 1983, →OCLC ↗, page 62, lines 17–19:

     He semeth a sysmatyke
     Or els an heretike,
     For fayth in hym is faynte.

2. (by extension) Someone who does not conform to generally accepted beliefs or practices.

• dissident, nonconformist, sectarian, separatist, withersake

• French: hérétique
• German: Ketzer, Ketzerin, Häretiker, Häretikerin, Abweichler, Abweichlerin
• Italian: eretico, eretica
• Portuguese: herege
• Russian: ерети́к
• Spanish: hereje

heretic

1. (archaic) Heretical; of or pertaining to heresy or heretics.

   Antonyms: orthodox

• heresy
• heretical