Home › Religion & World Beliefs › Cults & Sects › dogma

dogma

DOG-muh /ˈdɒɡmə/

nounC1GRESATGMATCAT

formalacademic

A principle or set of principles laid down by an authority as incontrovertibly true.

Carries a strong negative connotation of intellectual rigidity, intransigence, and resistance to empirical evidence.

The story behind the word. In ancient Greece, 'dogma' meant a settled opinion or formal decree issued by a philosopher or ruler—literally 'that which seems good'. When translated into Latin ecclesiastical writings, it came to mean official church rules that believers had to accept without debate.

Word relationships

tenet: 'Tenet' is a neutral principle of belief; 'dogma' implies unyielding authority demanding strict compliance.
doctrine: 'Doctrine' is neutral and refers to official teaching, whereas 'dogma' highlights unquestionable, rigid authority.

skepticism: The practice of questioning and demanding evidence before accepting assertions.
flexibility: Willingness to adapt beliefs in response to new facts.

Commonly confused with

doctrine: Doctrine is the official body of teachings; dogma is doctrine enforced as unalterable and beyond question.

Word family

dogmatic (adjective): Inclinable to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true; opinionated.
dogmatism (noun): The arrogant assertion of opinions as truth without proof.

Collocations

rigid dogma
religious dogma
accept dogma
question dogma

Example sentences

"The breakthrough challenged decades of rigid biological dogma regarding cell regeneration." Scientific debate
"Church councils spent centuries debating theological dogma to establish unified doctrine." Religious studies

Memory hook

A DOG MAYS obey commands blindly, just as followers accept DOGMA without question. Decrees that demand blind acceptance.

When not to use

Do not use for flexible guidelines, empirical hypotheses, or tentative scientific theories.

Fun facts

In modern molecular biology, the 'Central Dogma' (DNA -> RNA -> Protein) was coined by Francis Crick, who later admitted he didn't realize 'dogma' meant an unchallengeable belief!