Manichaean

See also: Manichæan

English

Alternative forms

• Manichean, Manichaeist, Manichee, Manichæan

Etymology

From Manichaeus +‎ -an.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌmænɪˈkiːən/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Noun

Manichaean (plural Manichaeans)

1. A follower of Manichaeism.

Translations

a follower of Manichaeism

• Esperanto: maniĥeano
• Finnish: manikealainen (fi)
• French: manichéen (fr) m, manichéenne (fr) f
• German: Manichäer m, Manichäerin f
• Greek: μανιχαϊστής (el) m (manichaïstís), μανιχαίος m (manichaíos)
• Hungarian: manicheus (hu)
• Italian: manicheo (it) m
• Persian: مانوی (fa) (mânavi)
• Portuguese: maniqueísta (pt) m or f, maniqueu (pt) m
• Russian: манихе́ец (ru) m (manixéjec), манихей (ru) m (manixej)
• Spanish: maniqueo (es) m or f
• Swedish: manikeer, manikéer
• Volapük: (♂♀) manigan, (♂) himanigan, (♀) jimanigan

Adjective

Manichaean (not comparable)

1. Of or relating to Manichaeism.
   • 1995 November 25, Michael Gibson, “The Treasures of a Lost Buddhist World”, in The International Herald Tribune‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Through them passed not only the traders of the Silk Route […] but also lone Buddhist monks carrying precious cargoes of scrolls in their backpacks, white-robed Manichean sages from Iran and austere Nestorian clerics who founded Christian monasteries even in remote Tibet.

2. Of or concerning a Manichaean.
3. (by extension) Of or relating to a worldview of distinct good and evil, especially to the exclusion of other possible categories.
   • 1988 April 11, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, “Strategy and Tactics to Win the Global Struggle”, in The New York Times‎^[2], →ISSN:

     Detractors of Mr. Nixon will decry the book's [1999: Victory Without War] obsession with potency and winning […] as well as with a Manichaean view of a world that he sees as divided between the bad Soviet Union and the good United States.

   • 2008 June 8, Ana Marie Cox, “What Went Wrong | Divided She Fell”, in The New York Times‎^[3], →ISSN:

     Barack Obama spoke of a world without these Manichean dualities. He dismissed the notion of “red” and “blue” America.

   • 2020, Marcus Gilroy-Ware, After the Fact?, Repeater, →ISBN:

     Once again, we see a Manichean world not unlike that of conspiracists: you can be good or you can be evil.

4. (by extension) Using dark and light to represent good and evil.

Translations

of or relating to Manichaeism

• Armenian: մանիքեական (hy) (manikʻeakan)
• Esperanto: maniĥeisma
• Finnish: manikealainen (fi)
• French: manichéen (fr) m
• German: manichäisch (de)
• Greek: μανιχαϊκός (el) m (manichaïkós)
• Hungarian: manicheista
• Italian: manicheo (it) m
• Occitan: maniquèu
• Persian: مانوی (fa) (mânavi)
• Portuguese: maniqueísta (pt), maniqueu (pt)
• Russian: манихе́йский (ru) (manixéjskij)
• Spanish: maniqueo (es)
• Swedish: manikeisk, manikeistisk, manikéisk, manikéistisk
• Volapük: manigik

of or concerning a Manichaean, Manichaeans

• Armenian: մանիքեական (hy) (manikʻeakan)
• Finnish: manikealainen (fi)
• Greek: μανιχαϊκός (el) m (manichaïkós)
• Persian: مانوی (fa) (mânavi)
• Russian: манихе́йский (ru) (manixéjskij)
• Volapük: (♂♀) maniganik, (♂) himaniganik, (♀) jimaniganik