faith
/feɪθ
/noun [mass noun]
1Complete trust or confidence in someone or something: this restores one’s faith in politicians...
- He said the general public had lost faith in politics and politicians and the forming of deals that exclude a section of the public from the political process.
- Many people have given way to despondency and helplessness, having lost faith in leaders and politicians.
- Since the public has lost faith in ideology, politicians must now use fear in order to maintain their hold over the masses.
Synonyms
trust, belief, confidence, conviction, credence, reliance, dependence;
optimism, hopefulness, hope, expectation
2Strong belief in the doctrines of a religion, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof: bereaved people who have shown supreme faith...
- Christianity in particular has praised those whose belief is founded on faith, rather than proof, as the story of doubting Thomas shows.
- I am a person of deep faith, strong religious convictions and an optimistic view of our world as one where love abounds and peace is held up as the common vision of the majority.
- Delia had a strong religious faith and an inherent belief in providence and that things would work themselves out eventually.
Synonyms
religion, church, sect, denomination, persuasion, religious persuasion, religious belief, belief, code of belief, ideology, creed, teaching, dogma, doctrine
2.1 [count noun] A particular religion: the Christian faith...
- Today's service assembles representatives of a wide range of religions and faiths.
- Putting all religions or faiths into one hat and saying that they are all like this is untrue and a bit naive.
- We live in the days of pluralism, when all faiths and religions are of equal worth.
2.2 [count noun] A strongly held belief: men with strong political faiths...
- Consider a faith, a belief system, as a theory about how the universe works.
- This at least is the assumption of many writers and readers, and in Latin America it amounts to something like a political faith.
- Arthur had a strong faith and belief in Rome and what it stood for, but that changes in the movie.
exclamation chiefly Irish
Said to express surprise or emphasis: faith, I was shown the door myself and came home
Phrases
break (or keep) faith
Origin
Middle English: from Old French feid, from Latin fides.
Both faith and fidelity (Late Middle English) come from the Latin word fides. Fido, a traditional name for a dog, is also related—it represents the Latin for ‘I trust’. Other words from the same source include confident (late 16th century), confide (Late Middle English), and diffident (Late Middle English) which originally meant ‘lacking in trust’. Fiancée, the French for ‘promised’, which goes back to fides is related. See also infidel