Freethinkers

/ˈfriːˌθɪŋkəz/ noun

Definition

Plural form; multiple people who form their own opinions based on reason and reject traditional or religious authority.

Etymology

Simple plural of freethinker, formed by adding '-s'. The term became especially common in the 19th-20th centuries when organized freethinker societies formed to promote secular education and rational thought.

Kelly Says

Freethinkers weren't just isolated philosophers—they organized into actual clubs and societies that published journals and built libraries to challenge religious orthodoxy in their communities, making dissent a social activity.

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