homoiousian
Advanced (C1/C2)
IPA: /həˈmɔɪəˌjuːzɪən/
KK: /həˈmɔɪəˌjuːzɪən/
adjective
Definition
Describing a belief that the essence of the Son is similar but not identical to the essence of the Father, particularly in Christian theology.
Example
The council debated the implications of the homoiousian view on the nature of the Trinity.
Conversation
I was reading about the concept of homoiousian the other day.
Oh really? What's that about?
It means having a similar but not identical essence, especially in theology.
That sounds interesting! I didn't know there were so many terms for these ideas.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
similar
alike
comparable
Antonyms
different
dissimilar
unlike
noun
Definition
A member of a religious group from the fourth century that believed the Son is similar to the Father in essence but not the same in substance.
Example
The homoiousians argued that while the Son was divine, He was not identical to the Father.
Conversation
Have you ever heard of the term homoiousian?
Yeah, it's related to early Christian debates, right?
Exactly! It's fascinating how they discussed the nature of the Son.
Root Explanation
Homoiousian → It is formed from "homoios" (from Greek, meaning similar) and "ousia" (from Greek, meaning essence or being). The term refers to the belief that the Son is of a similar essence to the Father, but not identical, in Christian theology.
Memory Tip
Think of 'similar' ('homoios') to remember that 'homoiousian' refers to a belief in a similarity of essence.
Visually Confused Words
No commonly confused words.