dogma
DOG-muh
/ˈdɒɡmə/
A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.
Often carries a negative connotation implying rigid, uncritical acceptance without tolerance for debate.
The story behind the word. In ancient Greece, a 'dogma' was an official decree passed by a legislature or philosophical school. Early Latin writers adopted the word for foundational church decrees, leading to its modern sense of unshakeable directive.
Word relationships
- tenet: A tenet is a neutral word for a belief, while dogma carries an overt tone of uncompromising authority.
- doctrine: Doctrine is general teaching; dogma is rigid doctrine pronounced non-negotiable.
- skepticism: Skepticism questions assumptions rather than accepting absolute pronouncements.
Commonly confused with
- doggerel: Doggerel refers to poorly constructed verse or poetry.
Word family
- dogmatic (adjective): Inclinable to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
- dogmatism (noun): The tendency to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true.
Collocations
- rigid dogma
- religious dogma
- question dogma
- political dogma
Example sentences
- "Science advances by questioning dogma rather than blindly accepting traditional claims." Scientific inquiry
- "The decree was proclaimed as binding dogma for all members of the church." Theology
Memory hook
A DOGMA is declared with the authority of a alpha DOG — Barking commands that cannot be argued with. Dogma = unbending decree.
When not to use
Do not use for open-ended proposals or hypotheses.
Fun facts
- In molecular biology, the 'Central Dogma' describes the flow of genetic information from DNA to RNA to protein.
Also appears in
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