Etymograph

English

deism

Deism comes from French déisme, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘to be bright, to shine’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-1‘to be bright, to shine’root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentdéisme1
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1682deism1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English deism
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1682, John Dryden, Religio Laici: “If my supposition be true, then the consequence which…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dyew-Wiktionary, English deism‘to be bright, to shine’root named by Wiktionary · steps between not traced
  2. Frenchc. 1600–presentdéismeWiktionary, English deism
  3. Englishearliest quotation 1682deismWiktionary, English deism. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1682, John Dryden, Religio Laici: “If my supposition be true, then the consequence which…”

Formed from deus ‘god, deity’ + -ism

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dyew- ‘to be bright, to shine’

die, journal, journey, divine, diary, dial, divinity, diva, meridian, div, dev, joss, deity, divination, sojourn, jovial, diurnal, deuce, deva, deification, deist, 30 more

Today it means

noun A philosophical belief in the existence of a god (or goddess) knowable through human reason; especially, a belief in a creator god unaccompanied by any belief in supernatural phenomena or specific religious doctrines.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “deism”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dyew- / deism

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