theosophy
UK /θɪˈɒsəfɪ/ · US [θiˈɑs.ə.fi] noun
Forms theosophies theosophie
- noun (philosophy, religion) Any doctrine of religious philosophy and mysticism claiming that knowledge of God can be attained through mystical insight and spiritual ecstasy, and that direct communication with the transcendent world is possible.
- noun (religion) Any system which claims to attain communication with God and superior spirits by physical processes.
- noun The system of beliefs and doctrines of the Theosophical Society.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin theosophia, from Ancient Greek θεοσοφῐ́ᾱ (theosophĭ́ā, “knowledge of things divine”, from θεός (theós, “god”) + σοφῐ́ᾱ (sophĭ́ā, “wisdom”)); By surface analysis, theo- + -sophy.
Webster’s 1913
- noun Any system of philosophy or mysticism which proposes to attain intercourse with God and superior spirits, and consequent superhuman knowledge, by physical processes, as by the theurgic operations of some ancient Platonists, or by the chemical processes of the German fire philosophers; also, a direct, as distinguished from a revealed, knowledge of God, supposed to be attained by extraordinary illumination; especially, a direct insight into the processes of the divine mind, and the interior relations of the divine nature.
Etymology [Gr. théosophie.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “theosophy”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details