Variant: or Man · i · che · an
Pronunciation: ˌ ma-n ə - ' k ē - ə n
or Man · i · chee \ ' ma-n ə - ˌ k ē \
Function: noun
Etymology: Late Latin manichaeus, from Late Greek manichaios, from Manichaios Manes † about A.D. 276 Persian founder of the sect
Date: 1556
1 : a believer in a syncretistic religious dualism originating in Persia in the third century A.D. and teaching the release of the spirit from matter through asceticism
2 : a believer in religious or philosophical dualism
– Manichaean or Manichean adjective
– Man · i · chae · an · ism or Man · i · che · an · ism \ ˌ ma-n ə - ' k ē - ə - ˌ ni-z ə m \ noun
– Man · i · chae · ism or Man · i · che · ism \ ' ma-n ə -( ˌ )k ē - ˌ i-z ə m \ noun