heresy

The word 'heresy' originates from the Greek 'hairesis', which initially meant 'a taking, a choice', and by extension, 'a chosen course of thought, a school of thought or philosophical sect'. This term was adopted into ecclesiastical Latin as 'haeresis', where it took on the specific meaning of a doctrinal choice or belief that deviated from established orthodoxy. The semantic shift from a neutral 'choice' to a pejorative 'wrong choice' in religious doctrine was solidified by the early Christian Church, which used it to label and condemn beliefs it deemed divisive or erroneous. Thus, the modern abstract meaning of a belief contrary to official dogma evolved directly from the concept of making an individual, and therefore suspect, choice in matters of faith.

Structure: here (choose, take) + sy (noun suffix) 'here' is from Greek 'hairein', meaning 'to take, to choose'. '-sy' is a noun-forming suffix, often representing a state or condition, derived from Greek '-sis' via Latin '-sis'.