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theosophy - 4 dictionary results

the⋅os⋅o⋅phy

[thee-os-uh-fee]
–noun
1. any of various forms of philosophical or religious thought based on a mystical insight into the divine nature.
2. (often initial capital letters) the system of belief and practice of the Theosophical Society.

Origin:
1640–50; < ML theosophia < LGk theosophía. See theo, -sophy


the⋅o⋅soph⋅i⋅cal [thee-uh-sof-i-kuhl] , the⋅o⋅soph⋅ic, adjective
the⋅o⋅soph⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
the⋅os⋅o⋅phism, noun
the⋅os⋅o⋅phist, noun
the·os·o·phy   (thē-ŏs'ə-fē)   
n.   pl. the·os·o·phies
  1. Religious philosophy or speculation about the nature of the soul based on mystical insight into the nature of God.
  2. often Theosophy The system of beliefs and teachings of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York City in 1875, incorporating aspects of Buddhism and Brahmanism, especially the belief in reincarnation and spiritual evolution.

[Medieval Latin theosophia, from Late Greek theosophiā : Greek theo-, theo- + Greek sophiā, wisdom.]
the'o·soph'ic (-ə-sŏf'ĭk), the'o·soph'i·cal (-ĭ-kəl) adj., the'o·soph'i·cal·ly adv., the·os'o·phist n.

Theosophy

The*os"o*phy\, n. [Gr. ? knowledge of things divine, fr. ? wise in the things of God; ? God + ? wise: cf. F. th['e]osophie.] Any system of philosophy or mysticism which proposes to attain intercourse with God and superior spirits, and consequent superhuman knowledge, by physical processes, as by the theurgic operations of some ancient Platonists, or by the chemical processes of the German fire philosophers; also, a direct, as distinguished from a revealed, knowledge of God, supposed to be attained by extraordinary illumination; especially, a direct insight into the processes of the divine mind, and the interior relations of the divine nature.

theosophy 
1642 (implied in theosophical), "knowledge about God and nature obtained through mystical study," from M.L. theosophia (c.880), from Late Gk. theosophia (c.500, Pseudo-Dionysus) "wisdom concerning God or things divine," from Gk. theosophos "one wise about God," from theos "god" (see Thea) + sophos "wise, learned." Taken as the name of a modern philosophical system (sometimes called Esoteric Buddhism), founded in New York 1875 as "Theosophical Society" by Madame Blavatsky and others, which combines teachings of Hinduism and Buddhism.
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