Relating to or characteristic of heresy or heterodox doctrine; deviating from established religious or philosophical orthodoxy.
From Greek hairesis (choice, sect, heresy, from hairein 'to choose') + -ic (adjective suffix). This archaic term uses the Greek root that also gives us 'heresy,' referring to chosen doctrines outside the mainstream.
Heteric is the linguistic ancestor of our word 'heresy'—both come from the Greek concept of choice (hairesis), because the worst sin in orthodoxy isn't being wrong, it's choosing to be wrong, which reveals how deeply power and conformity are linked in religious systems.
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