DOGMA Dog"ma, n.; pl. E. Dogmas, L. Dogmata. Etym: [L. dogma, Gr. pl. , fr. decet it is becoming. Cf. Decent.]
1. That which is held as an opinion; a tenet; a doctrine. The obscure and loose dogmas of early antiquity. Whewell.
2. A formally stated and authoritatively settled doctrine; a definite, established, and authoritative tenet.
3. A doctrinal notion asserted without regard to evidence or truth; an arbitrary dictum.
Syn. — tenet; opinion; proposition; doctrine. — Dogma, Tenet. A tenet is that which is maintained as true with great firmness; as, the tenets of our holy religion. A dogma is that which is laid down with authority as indubitably true, especially a religious doctrine; as, the dogmas of the church. A tenet rests on its own intrinsic merits or demerits; a dogma rests on authority regarded as competent to decide and determine. Dogma has in our language acquired, to some extent, a repulsive sense, from its carrying with it the idea of undue authority or assumption. this is more fully the case with its derivatives dogmatical and dogmatism.
DOGMATIC
Dog*mat"ic, n.
Defn: One of an ancient sect of physicians who went by general principles; — opposed to the Empiric.
DOGMATIC; DOGMATICAL
Dog*mat"ic, Dog*mat`ic*al, a. Etym: [L. dogmaticus, Gr. dogmatique.]
1. Pertaining to a dogma, or to an established and authorized doctrine or tenet.
2. Asserting a thing positively and authoritatively; positive; magisterial; hence, arrogantly authoritative; overbearing. Critics write in a positive, dogmatic way. Spectator. [They] are as assertive and dogmatical as if they were omniscient. Glanvill. Dogmatic theology. Same as Dogmatics.