Scientology
/ˌsaɪənˈtɒlədʒi/
noun
Origin
Latin/Greek
scio + logos — knowing + study of
Overview
Meaning Now
- A set of beliefs and practices developed by L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-20th century, characterized by the belief in an immortal spiritual being (the 'thetan') and the use of 'auditing' to achieve spiritual enlightenment.
Literal older meaning
the study of knowledge
Language path
Latin → Greek → English
Earliest form
Scientology
Earliest period
1950s
Journey
The term was first used in 1901 by German-American writer Anastasius Nordenholz in his work 'Scientologie: Wissenschaft von der Beschaffenheit und der Tauglichkeit des Wissens'. L. Ron Hubbard later adopted the term in the early 1950s to describe the application of Dianetics technology to spiritual concerns.
Evolution
- Latin
scire
“to know”
Root verb
- Greek
logos
“word, reason, or study”
Suffix component
- English, 1901
scientology
“the science of knowledge (coined by Anastasius Nordenholz)”
Used in the context of philosophy, unrelated to the modern religious movement
- English, 1952
Scientology
“the practice founded by L. Ron Hubbard”
Co-opted as a religious brand name
Connections
Word parts
scio-
root
knowledge
-ology
suffix
study of
Related across languages
Latin
scire
to know
Greek
logos
study/word
Explore next
Related to Scientology
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.