agnostic

Where does the word "agnostic" come from? It comes from Greek agnōstos, and was adopted directly into English (1869).

Agnostic’s story begins in Greek: agnōstos meant “unknown.” Unknown, unknowable; Paul's sermon in Athens mentions an altar 'to an unknown god'. It reached English by 1869 as agnostic. Coined by the biologist Thomas Huxley at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society in London. Today, agnostic means a person who believes nothing can be known about God.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient agnōstos "unknown", unknown, unknowable; Paul's sermon in Athens mentions an altar 'to an unknown god'.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1869 agnostic "one who holds God unknowable", coined by the biologist Thomas Huxley at a meeting of the Metaphysical Society in London.