DOCTRINE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does doctrine mean? 

• DOCTRINE (noun)
  The noun DOCTRINE has 1 sense:

1. a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

  Familiarity information: DOCTRINE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DOCTRINE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

doctrine; ism; philosophical system; philosophy; school of thought

Hypernyms ("doctrine" is a kind of...):

belief (any cognitive content held as true)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "doctrine"):

reincarnationism (a doctrine that on the death of the body the soul migrates to or is born again in another body)

monism (the doctrine that reality consists of a single basic substance or element)

multiculturalism (the doctrine that several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can coexist peacefully and equitably in a single country)

nationalism (the doctrine that your national culture and interests are superior to any other)

nationalism (the doctrine that nations should act independently (rather than collectively) to attain their goals)

nihilism (a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake)

pacificism; pacifism; passivism (the doctrine that all violence is unjustifiable)

pluralism (the doctrine that reality consists of several basic substances or elements)

populism (the political doctrine that supports the rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the privileged elite)

presentism (the doctrine that the Scripture prophecies of the Apocalypse (as in the Book of Revelations) are presently in the course of being fulfilled)

freethinking; rationalism (the doctrine that reason is the right basis for regulating conduct)

reformism (a doctrine of reform)

humanism; secular humanism (the doctrine emphasizing a person's capacity for self-realization through reason; rejects religion and the supernatural)

humanism; humanitarianism (the doctrine that people's duty is to promote human welfare)

egalitarianism; equalitarianism (the doctrine of the equality of mankind and the desirability of political and economic and social equality)

feminism (a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women)

democracy; majority rule (the doctrine that the numerical majority of an organized group can make decisions binding on the whole group)

secessionism (a doctrine that maintains the right of secession)

secularism (a doctrine that rejects religion and religious considerations)

phenomenology (a philosophical doctrine proposed by Edmund Husserl based on the study of human experience in which considerations of objective reality are not taken into account)

philosophical doctrine; philosophical theory (a doctrine accepted by adherents to a philosophy)

states' rights (a doctrine that federal powers should be curtailed and returned to the individual states)

commandment; precept; teaching (a doctrine that is taught)

theological doctrine (the doctrine of a religious group)

utilitarianism (doctrine that the useful is the good; especially as elaborated by Jeremy Bentham and James Mill; the aim was said to be the greatest happiness for the greatest number)

descriptivism ((linguistics) a doctrine supporting or promoting descriptive linguistics)

descriptivism ((ethics) a doctrine holding that moral statements have a truth value)

prescriptivism ((linguistics) a doctrine supporting or promoting prescriptive linguistics)

prescriptivism ((ethics) a doctrine holding that moral statements prescribe appropriate attitudes and behavior)

church doctrine; creed; gospel; religious doctrine (the written body of teachings of a religious group that are generally accepted by that group)

millennium ((New Testament) in Revelations it is foretold that those faithful to Jesus will reign with Jesus over the earth for a thousand years; the meaning of these words have been much debated; some denominations (e.g. Jehovah's Witnesses) expect it to be a thousand years of justice and peace and happiness)

epicureanism (a doctrine of hedonism that was defended by several ancient Greek philosophers)

Cabalism; Kabbalism (the doctrines of the Kabbalah)

abolitionism (the doctrine that calls for the abolition of slavery)

absolutism (the doctrine of an absolute being)

amoralism (the doctrine that moral distinctions are invalid)

animalism (the doctrine that human beings are purely animal in nature and lacking a spiritual nature)

animism (the doctrine that all natural objects and the universe itself have souls)

antiestablishmentarianism; antiestablishmentism (the doctrine of opposition to the social and political establishment)

asceticism (the doctrine that through renunciation of worldly pleasures it is possible to achieve a high spiritual or intellectual state)

contextualism (any doctrine emphasizing the importance of the context in solving problems or establishing the meaning of terms)

creationism (the literal belief in the account of Creation given in the Book of Genesis)

credo; creed (any system of principles or beliefs)

divine right; divine right of kings (the doctrine that kings derive their right to rule directly from God and are not accountable to their subjects; rebellion is the worst of political crimes)

dogma (a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative)

dualism (the doctrine that reality consists of two basic opposing elements, often taken to be mind and matter (or mind and body), or good and evil)

dynamism (any of the various theories or doctrines or philosophical systems that attempt to explain the phenomena of the universe in terms of some immanent force or energy)

nuclear deterrence (the military doctrine that an enemy will be deterred from using nuclear weapons as long as he can be destroyed as a consequence)

establishmentarianism; establishmentism (the doctrine of supporting the social or political establishment)

ethicism (a doctrine that ethics and ethical ideas are valid and important)

expansionism (the doctrine of expanding the territory or the economic influence of a country)

formalism (the doctrine that formal structure rather than content is what should be represented)

functionalism (any doctrine that stresses utility or purpose)

Girondism (the doctrine of the Girondists)

gospel (a doctrine that is believed to be of great importance)

gymnosophy (the doctrine of a sect of Hindu philosophers who practiced nudity and asceticism and meditation)

imitation (the doctrine that representations of nature or human behavior should be accurate imitations)

individualism; laissez faire (the doctrine that government should not interfere in commercial affairs)

internationalism (the doctrine that nations should cooperate because their common interests are more important than their differences)

unilateralism (the doctrine that nations should conduct their foreign affairs individualistically without the advice or involvement of other nations)

irredentism; irridentism (the doctrine that irredenta should be controlled by the country to which they are ethnically or historically related)

literalism (the doctrine of realistic (literal) portrayal in art or literature)

Derivation:

doctrinal (relating to or involving or preoccupied with doctrine)

indoctrinate (teach doctrines to; teach uncritically)

 Context examples 

The power of Treaty may yet prove a vast engine of enlargement, when the Monroe doctrine takes its true place as a political fable.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Mr. Murdstone delivers public addresses sometimes, and it is said,—in short, sir, it is said by Mrs. Chillip,—that the darker tyrant he has lately been, the more ferocious is his doctrine.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

My only doctrine is the doctrine of expediency, and it makes for surviving.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

A set of ideas, as of philosophical or religious doctrine, in terms of which other ideas are interpreted or assigned meaning; a system that uses coordinates to establish position.

(Frame of Reference, NCI Thesaurus)

For a moment the blood of the long line of hot-headed thanes was too strong for the soft whisperings of the doctrine of meekness and mercy.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This has always been your doctrine, I am sure.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I am much mistaken if Emma's doctrines give any strength of mind, or tend at all to make a girl adapt herself rationally to the varieties of her situation in life.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

"Your doctrine certainly sounds like socialism," Mr. Morse replied, while Ruth gazed anxiously from one to the other, and Mrs. Morse beamed happily at the opportunity afforded of rousing her liege lord's antagonism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

I heard her with wonder: I could not comprehend this doctrine of endurance; and still less could I understand or sympathise with the forbearance she expressed for her chastiser.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

I have often since reflected, what destruction such doctrine would make in the libraries of Europe; and how many paths of fame would be then shut up in the learned world.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)