monotheismn.
/ˈmɒnə(ʊ)θɪˌɪz(ə)m/, /ˌmɒnə(ʊ)ˈθiːɪz(ə)m/, U.S. /ˈmɑnəθiˌɪz(ə)m/, /ˌmɑnəˈθiˌɪz(ə)m/ 1.
a. The doctrine or belief that there is only one God (as opposed to many, as in polytheism).
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > theism > [noun] > monotheism
monotheism1660
theism1678
1660 H. More Explan. Grand Myst. Godliness iii. ii. 62 But thus to make the World God, is to make all; and therefore this Kinde of Monotheisme of the Heathen is as rank Atheisme as their Polytheisme was proved to be before.
1723 H. Rowlands Mona Antiqua Restaurata i. 63 The Stream of Idolatry..deflected them [sc. the Druids] from their profess'd Monotheism.
1812 T. Cogan Jewish Dispensation ii. §7. 322 [The Jews] have continued firm..in their adherence to pure Monotheism, under every persecution.
1865 W. E. H. Lecky Hist. Rationalism (1878) II. 277 A race whose pure monotheism formed a marked contrast to the scarcely disguised polytheism of the Spanish Catholics.
1935 H. A. L. Fisher Europe I. xii. 141 The monotheism of Islam was not so far removed from the monophysite forms of Christianity.
1999 Daily Tel. 5 Feb. 27/7 The great discovery of the ancient Hebrews was monotheism.
b. In Christian theology: the doctrine or belief that there is one God who is a single undifferentiated entity or person (as in Unitarianism). rare.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > aspects of faith > doctrine > doctrine concerning God or a god > [noun] > monism > person
monotheism1736
monista1856
1736 N. Bailey et al. Dictionarium Britannicum (ed. 2) Pref. (end) Monotheism, the Doctrine or Principles of the Unitarians.
1921 Contemp. Rev. Nov. 623 The Dean of Carlisle warns theologians against the peril of Apollinarianism or Monotheism.
2. As a count noun: a religion or belief based on a doctrine of a single God.
ΚΠ
1876 W. E. Gladstone in Contemp. Rev. June 18 The only large monotheism known to historic times is that of Mahomet.
1921 Encycl. Relig. & Ethics XII. 457/2 Serving as it does to reconcile rival monotheisms with one another and with the philosophic doctrine of the absolute, the theory of the Tri~mūrti presents no such close similarity to the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.
1979 Sci. Amer. May 8/2 Far from being foreign to the spiritual content of Judaism, Christianity and Islam the religion of Akhenaten is the only possible origin of the benevolent, protective aspects of these monotheisms.
1991 Independent 6 Feb. 19/3 The great universal monotheisms have not yet formally enclosed a plural world.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1660