doctrine
DOK-trin
/ˈdɒktrɪn/
A belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a church, political party, or school of economic thought.
Refers to a formal, established body of principles taught as authoritative and systematically applied.
The story behind the word. Traced to the Latin verb 'docere' meaning 'to teach' (source also of 'doctor', originally meaning a learned teacher). In English, it expanded from religious principles to legal and economic principles held by academic schools.
Word relationships
- tenet: A single principle within a broader system, whereas doctrine is the collective system of beliefs.
- dogma: Dogma carries a negative connotation of rigid belief accepted without critical questioning.
- skepticism: An attitude of doubting established beliefs or doctrines.
- heresy: A belief fundamentally opposing established doctrine.
Commonly confused with
- dogma: Dogma is unquestionable belief enforced rigidly, whereas doctrine can be an organized school of thought subject to academic debate.
Word family
- doctrinal (adjective): Relating to a doctrine or body of beliefs.
- indoctrinate (verb): To teach a person or group to accept a set of beliefs uncritically.
Collocations
- economic doctrine
- core doctrine
- adhere to doctrine
- reject doctrine
Example sentences
- "The doctrine of classical economics emphasized self-regulating markets and reduced tariff barriers." Economic Policy
- "Judges cited the long-standing judicial doctrine when determining liability in commercial contracts." Legal History
Memory hook
DOCTOR teaches you DOCTRINE in a university class. Core teachings taught by master scholars.
When not to use
Do not use for temporary opinions or personal daily routines; it implies formal, established institutional principles.
Fun facts
- In political history, key foreign policy guidelines like the Monroe Doctrine took their name directly from this academic and legal term.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.