\In"fi*del\, a. [L. infidelis; pref. in- not + fidelis
faithful, fr. fides faith: cf. F. infid[`e]le. See
{Fidelity}.]
Not holding the faith; -- applied esp. to one who does not
believe in the inspiration of the Scriptures, and the
supernatural origin of Christianity.
      The infidel writer is a great enemy to society. --V.
                                               Knox.

\In"fi*del\, n.
One who does not believe in the prevailing religious faith;
especially, one who does not believe in the divine origin and
authority of Christianity; a Mohammedan; a heathen; a
freethinker.
Note: Infidel is used by English writers to translate the
      equivalent word used Mohammedans in speaking of
      Christians and other disbelievers in Mohammedanism.
Syn: {Infidel}, {Unbeliever}, {Freethinker}, {Deist},
     {Atheist}, {Sceptic}, {Agnostic}.
Usage: An infidel, in common usage, is one who denies
       Christianity and the truth of the Scriptures. Some
       have endeavored to widen the sense of infidel so as to
       embrace atheism and every form of unbelief; but this
       use does not generally prevail. A freethinker is now
       only another name for an infidel. An unbeliever is not
       necessarily a disbeliever or infidel, because he may
       still be inquiring after evidence to satisfy his mind;
       the word, however, is more commonly used in the
       extreme sense. A deist believes in one God and a
       divine providence, but rejects revelation. An atheist
       denies the being of God. A sceptic is one whose faith
       in the credibility of evidence is weakened or
       destroyed, so that religion, to the same extent, has
       no practical hold on his mind. An agnostic remains in
       a state of suspended judgment, neither affirming nor
       denying the existence of a personal Deity.